GRAHAM'S PAPERS GRABBED

NZ Truth, Issue 889, 9 December 1922, Page 6

GRAHAM'S PAPERS GRABBED

Who Pinched the Parchmeßti ?

Possessor Ordered To Part Up.

The long, gaunt figure, the bis boots and the wiry whiskers of Auckland's' ancient solicitor. J. B. Graham, are almost as well known as the lying face of our false friend the Town Hall clock, which is never right and never will be. If all the other dockß m the city are to be believed. But we don't very often see J.B. m the Police Court these days. Jie was there last week, though, m a somewhat peculiar role. It appeared that he h«ld some papers on behalf of a lady client and they wero pinched, . lifted, or abstracted from his table when i his eyes weren't on 'am. And so Graham informed the police, and the missing: pieties of parchment" were traced to the lady client. Detective Robertson toolc charge of the documents and he asked Mr. Wilson, S.M., to decide as to their ownership, as bqth the lawyer and thelady claimed their right to them. Lawyer Hadddw appeared" for Lawyer Graham and declared it to be en understood and admitted thing that the iady m the case, Mrs. F. M. Smythe. had purloined or otherwise taken the papers from the office of his client — that was to say that if Mrs. tfmytba ' did not, her "agent" did. 'Twab ail tho same thing. "Mr. Graham had claimed those papers," said Chief -Detective Cum-; mings. "The police don't want 'em. They ask the Court to determine the ownership." Lawyer Graham then stalkod Into the box, boots and all, and took the oath m manner most impressive. He had acted for tho lady m ro the estate of her dead husband, and the lady owed him no loss than. £ SO — it might br> £40 — and most of this had boon good cash advanced to tide her over the temporary difficulties of young widowhood. He had command of cer« tain moneys coming to the lady -that won if there would be any such, for to tell tho truth the estate was so heavily chargod with the debt* of the late lamented that it was questionable whether anything would be left over to help console tho widow. "How wero these documents taken from .your office ?'* queried Mr. Wilson, S.M., who npparently wanted to get nt the root of the matter without too much dtflvlnK Into legal explanations. "Ah! Thar is rather a long story," raid Solicitor Graham, who dlv not seem wishful .to glvo the lady away entirely. "Well, wero they taken without your knowledge?" pursued tho Mftßiftruto. "Yes. or consent," replied the long limb of tho law. r "Tbcrfc is n'Httle family Bilevaueo m connection with theso papers, is there not?" asked Sonior-Dctoctlvo Cummlnffs. "I don't think so.' said tho gaunt Graham, and one could see a smJlo BURIED IN HIS WHISKERS. "She )m« had al>out eight HOlicltors." He added (and thiH time the arnll© showed .Hj?ht through his hirsute .-ippcntlugcs) that he would j.ol fot * ; moment consider laying a charge of theft Jt«nlnat tho lady. Deiir him. no' He would tioonor lose all the money h« had lent her. Theae document*. declared the Mnglßtrnte. had btcn "«urreptltlo,.-Bly tuken" from Mr. Gmham's ortU-e " In s he wouk! order iholr return to Mr cirnhnm. If there was any further dlapuio after th.it the parties could setJlo it eliwwhcre. . . . And the Uonk was very kind to th« "MurrcptHlous" lady. too. Ho arowSd no eo*iß nraini-t her niul ordered tho on* lawyer to pay the 17'- !ncui-r»d -l.» Comi to r nut Graham Jot X 2 papers, vhich ho evidently holds "w purity for tnot.oy advanced. To S shouldn't mind n mere matter of seven? teen bob. '™