BANK NOTE FORGERY CHARGE.

NZ Truth, Issue 471, 27 June 1914, Page 7

BANK NOTE FORGERY C HARGE.

POLICE RAIDJ SYDNEY. SUPPOSED COUNTERFEIT PLANT SECURED. Did Geutsche Visit Auckland ? .

Rudolph Guetsche, aged 27, was, on Wednesday week, hi the Central Police Court, Sydney, before Mr. Barnett, charged with having, on or about May 13, attempted to forge a bank note on the Bank of Australasia for £1, with intent to defraud. Mr. Moseley appeared for the accused. Sydney "Truth" reports: Detective Pauling said that at about. 6.15 p.m. on Ist inst, accompanied by Detectives Gallagher, Lynch, Ramisay, Patterson arid Miller, Constables Toohey and Gallagher, he went to a house m Cleveland-street, "Redfern, and there saw accused. /Told him he wanted him to takd him to hjs room upstairs, and he did so. Then asked him to place his money and valuables on, the table, which he did, laying down his watch and money. Witness now asked him if he had any paper money m his profession, and he replied that he had not. Told him they hod Information that he had photographic -apparatus and other things m his room, and this he denied. They THEN SEARCHED THE PLACE, and found all the things now produced m court These included an automatic pistol (the magazine of which was charged), a number of revolver cartridges, a collection of photographs, and process engraver's materials, mechanical drawings, prisms, plates, chemical lenses (one valued at £50), zinc plates, ink, printing materials, and one Bank of Australasia bank note. Continuing, he said * that the\plate produced was found m a solution m a dish m the room. Asked him what tho zinc plato was doing there, and ho made no reply. Witness saw Detective Lynch take the piece of paper (produced) from out of a bag, when he said, "This is the sort of paper that is used for making bank noteu." and ac<:useo said, "Selling g:ive me that," at' which Lynch said, "You gave evidence m a case against Selling, who was charged with forging bank notes, and you never told us that Selling gave you any 'paper.'" Further search was now made ot the room, and 1 tho four receipts for photographic material wero found, also two other pieces wero found. On a shelf m the room a book was discovered, and, on shaking the leaves, the bank note (produced) fell out Asked him how it came there, and ...... HE MADE NO REPLY. Lynch, looking at the note, remarked, "I see there are a number of pin-holes m tho corners, which show It has been placed for purposes of copying," and accused made no reply. Later, witness confronted him with a man named Soharf. and tho latter said ho know accused. Were you m his room on Sunday lout?— Yob. 1 want you to tell us what accused said and what he did?— Ho showed mo the negative of a £ 1 note, and told mo ho was going to forge bank £1 notes, which was a very easy noto to forge, us It only had two colors. I Baw him place some volution on a plate, and put a bank noto m It, and ho afterwards showed mo tho tracing of tho noto on the zinc plate. Accused said: "Scharf Is m it as well u» me." at which Scliarf replied. "You got the money out of me by stating you were going Into tho colored plcturo business, and not for forging notCH." Witness next went on to say that accused showed him tho noto now produced In Court, and then placed it In the book, and put It up on a shelf. Ho was then arrested, locked up, and

charged, making no ; reply. The FULLY-LOADED AUTOMATIC PISTOL was taken from under • his pillow by Lynch. The .engraver's .tools and camera, lenses, etc., etc., wero also found m the room. Witness also produced papers on which was handwriting, which He believed to be that of accused. . You were after £5 notes? — Oh, no, we were after no particular notes. How many sheetsof bank note-paper did you find m his room? — Oh, there's several pieces .here. The paper can be purchased m Sydney; it 's retailed to the public? — Yes, I believe so. • When did you first tell him who you were? — There was no. occasion to tell him., Lynch knew. him personally. Was it alter that he did not answer questions?— He practically made no reply to anything he was asked. ; ■ How long had he been lviing In Cleveland-street? — About sfx weeks. Could not these things be used for picture purposes? — I don't know. Sergeant Monkey: There will be ian expert m the box later ,on. How long has Selling been m gaol? — Nearly twelve months. Detective Lynch gave evidence m support. . Josef Scharf, ceiling layer, residing m Cleveland-street, Redfern, said he JOSEP SCHARF.

knew accused tor abou( four years, and had known him m Canada. About three years ago ho met accused, who is either A GERMAN OR RUSSIAN, as ho spoke both languages. They had always been friends together, and about six months ago he told witness he waa going to open a photographer's business, asking witness if ho would go into partnership with him. Ho consented, saying ho could only give him £25, and thon he went with accused to Mr. Hoycrs, and gave an order for prisms, lenses, etc. The price for the things purchased, accused said, waa £M). They also went to a second-hand, shop, and tho winera was hired, paying a deposit aud 7/6 per week, taking it to the house m Clevoland-strecU Redfern. where accused had a room upstairs on the second floor. Witness personally had at different times been In the room. As far as he could remember accused has been living m Umt address for seven or eight weeks, and on tho different occasions that ho called on him accused was not doing any work, and said, In reply tc. witness, that ho would shortly do so. On the last occasion ho called tho accused SHOWED HIM THE BANK NOTE now In Court: also two lm previous on a alnc plate, and also ouo on n. glass, iho Impressions being those of a £ I note, similar to tho one now produced m Court. Tho accused now told witness that ho placed the note back m the book' so that It would remain clean, and tho zinc and glass plates he hid on the top of a wardrobe, this being the nn»t time he knew anything of tho bank note; and witness said, "This 1b not tho bualneaa I went Into with" you": aud accused replied. "We'll make a couple of thousand pounds, and go back." Witness, responding. "Thia la no good to me," and ho said. "You shut up. and keep back, and l'H do aaytbdnff ' or >'<>«•" 110 ttl»o said to witness. "We'll chcin^e tho forged nott'H In New Zealand." Continuing. wltne«« said h»* told, him that ho didn't want to have nnv^^fe^ to do with it, and wanted to K'^K^^M whoroiipou neeimod wild. "TJ^H^^H mnn Dun coi^^lo >>">*>- dead. nud^^^^Bkr^i^^^^^H

printing bank notes on." The tutmn \ duy wlmmm* wild h« wini htrutfcht ««» iho Criminal JnvcutUgnllon ivpart- i Drnrni and wiw PetecUvf pnulhiKr. j K|Tho accused, who reserved hln d»--j |Bic<'. f«;»JdV'i am not ifvillty." and «-u--J for trial. H.'tU. -C 3>m» miJ :hc t*^jna n»m, or ihrur m x!'^