YOUNG LOVERS' LURK

NZ Truth, Issue 818, 16 July 1921, Page 8

YOUNG LOVERS' LURK

Did They " Bone " a Brother's " Boodle" Out of the Bank

Sent Up for Trial.

A pair, of young lovers, Helen Sinclair McDonald (17) and John Robert Draffin (23) -occupied the attention-- of Poynton when the young couple were charged with forgery and the theft of £14 16s sd. which had stood to the credit of the girl's brother m the Newton branch of the Savings Bank. The girl was also charged with " counselling- and procuring 1 " Draffin to. forge the name of her brother, John McDonald, to receipts for £10 and- £4 16s sd. Chief-Tec. McMahon prosecuted, and Mr. J. J: Sullivan appeared for the accused. John William McDonald, brother of the girl accused, said that some months ago he left his home m Grey Lynn, his deposit book m the Newton Penny Sayings Bank* which then had a credit of £14 16s sd, being left m the care of his father. Later, because of something he was told, he went to the bank, and afterwards to the police. He gave nobody any authority to jrdraw any money out of his account. Det. "Andy" McHugh said that he had an interview with the girl, andshe gave a statement m which she said she had found her brother's pass■book. She -had. then dressed . herself as a boy, gone to the bank and, sigiiing her brother's name, had drawn •out £10. Some days later she wentto the bank and drew out the remaining £4 i6s sd. The detective later saw Draffin, and the latter said that he had been keeping company with the girl. On May 20 he met her and she ■coaxed him to take her brother's boqk to the bank. He did sjo, and, signing her brother's v name, " drew out £10. Five days afterwards he did the same again, d-rawing out £4 16s 5d and closing the account. He said he knew that he was doing wrong, but he did it because the girl asked him, and he thought she needed the money. The detective then had another interview with the girl and ' she then admitted that what she had- previously said about her drawing the* money was N false, and that Draffin had done it. Mr. Sullivan submitted that the young couple should not be sent to the Supreme Court as no jury would convict, and he did.'not think it would be wise to burden the country with the costs entailed m a .Supreme Court action. He -formally entered a plea of not guilty and- - contended that the plea should not be influenced by confessions made to the detective. Cases could be quoted where innocent persons, for some specific purpose, had confessed to ci'imes. Counsel quoted the case of a soldier m Africa who 'had "confessed" to a murder m England merely to get a trip to England. He was then. tried and acquitted. His Worship mentioned the 'case of a man m Australia who "confessed" he was the "Kaiw.arra murderer" m order to get a free trip to New Zealand and had afterwards denied the previous statement. However, m the present case he decided to send the two accused for trial. ■ . When the question of bail cropped up the Chief-Tec. strongly opposed to bail being allowed the, girl. In the case of Draffin bail was set at £50.