WESLEY'S WAYS.

NZ Truth, Issue 309, 27 May 1911, Page 7

WESLEY'S WAYS.

Recent Arrival and a Bankbook*

A Signature That Was Spurious.

A younj^Than named William Stanley Wesley, a recent arrival from "Home," was charged before Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., at the Wellington Magistrate's Court on Wednesday last, with having, on May 18, at Wellington, forged the name of E. W. Walker to a Wellington savingsba.nk withdrawal receipt, and with having uttered the same to Arthur Wimbley Phillips.

Chief Detective Broberg conducted the prosecution, and 'Mr H. F. O'Leary represented the accused.

George Walker, laborer, of 3 Col-lege-street, Wellington, said that he left some of his effects m a sack m his room, a mongst his effects being a> post office savings bankb ook. There were two beds m bis room. On Saturday, May 13, accused came to the house, and for some days subsequently

OCCUPIED THE SECOND BED. On Thursday, May 18, witness went to get his bank book, and found it missing. He had last seen it the previous night. 'There wa.B £111. 18s Sd to his credit. Witness spoke to accused later on about the loss of the book, and accused returned with it, saying he had found the book m the bath-room. On examination of the book, witness found that it bad been balanced and the interest add-

Ed, making the total amount to his, credit £112 17s Bd. No one had any authority to take the book, or deal with it mi n any way. The book (produced) was the one. Witness made a complaint to the bank. Arthur W. Phillips, clerk m the Wellington Post Office Savings Bank, said that on Thursday, May 18, he was on duty at the bank, and at 11, a.m. that day, accused . presented Walker's book (produced) and said he

- WANTED TO DRAW ALL THE j MONEY OUT of the bank, ,. Witness,., told him to call back m half-an-hour. Witness retained the ..book and made it up by adding the interest and totalling it up. Accused returned m half-an-.'hoiir and then witness gave him a -withdrawal slip, which accused filled m. for - £100 17s Bd. Accused pre■sented this slip (produced), which -witness returned, saying he was dissatisfied with the signature. Another "clerk produced a blank slip wl.'lch he filled m for £111 18s Sd, an£ this, slip, so filled m, witness handed toaccused, who signed it as George Walker (produced). Witness declined t 0 accept the signature. Accused filled m two more slips, which were not accepted. TO Mr O'Leary : Accused obtained no money.. Detective Lewis said / that he and Detective Andrews arrested the accused on Saturday, • May 20. Previously to arresting him, witness told him he was suspected of having obtained tlye savings bank book of a man named George Walker, and endeavored to draw the money deposited there. Accused said that he had 'found the book m the bathroom and fch at' he took it to the bank and aried to get' the money,

AS HE WAS HARD UP and wanted the money. To Mr O'Leary : He made the admission immediately Detective Lewis cautioned him. Accused said: he had nothing to say, and he entered a plea of guilty. , .His Worship committed him to the Supreme Court fpr sentence.