DON'S BURNING DESIRE

NZ Truth, Issue 1169, 26 April 1928, Page 5

DON'S BURNING DESIRE

Legal Cold Water Is Thrown On A Fiery^Plot (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Wellington Representative.) If Donald Gillies has any really companionable spirit guides, Indian philosophers or typical tall, dark foreigners, always standing invisibly by to give his conscience a lift up now and again, it was up to them to stifle his recent inordinate outbreak of materialism and money lust.

NO amount of spiritual fervency, demonstrative mesmerism or sheepish, goo-goo eyes will stave oft! judicial punishment for the burningof his car m order that he might lay his hands on the insurance money. And with him m his crime will appear John George Furey, a nineteen-year-old confidant of Gillies and an active participator m- his ill-considered scheme. These two, said a detective, when appearing against them m the Wellington Magistrate's Court last week, were related hypnotically to the extent that Gillies had, on a number of occasions, hypnotised Furey. There was no suggestion of hypnotic influence m regard to the burning of the car. Gillies, who is a plasterer by trade, follows his occupation on his own behalf, and it was evidently for this purpose that he bought a car m which to travel about the country. He bought this car some months ago for £85 at the Hutt, near Wellington, paying £35 down, the balance to come m instalments, the car being insured with the National Insurance Company for £90. He religiously paid the instalments on the car until he ran out of work — and money — this when he was owing only £17/10/- on the car. About this time, Gillies decided to pursue his calling m Australia,, but again the urgent necessity for money arose. And then his spiritual cobbers let him down badly. Someone, he later told the proper authorities, suggested while he was strolling- down Willis Street, Wellington, that he burn the car and collect the insurance. Donald pondered. John George Furey, a youth of 19, he had known for a number of years. As this young man, who has not yet reached the full years of legal discretion, was out of employment, Gillies propounded his idea to him offering at the successful termination of the plan, the sum of £5. An added inducement was that should Gillies go to Australia, he would take Furey with him. Preparations were at once put In hand, Gillies making an appointment towards the latter end of last month, to go to the theatre with an acquaintance. Gillies and his accomplice m the meantime scouted around, selecting a suitable spot from which to send the car to destruction. He afterwards apprised the, police of the destruction and the car was eventually located where the "thieves" had abandoned it — burned — at the bottom of a gully. Gillies immediately applied for his insurance on the car, but the matter I was held up pending inquiries by the police. • ■ i

It was most unfortunate for Gillies' that detectives found the suspicioussmeiling matchbox", the empty bottles and the benzine tank cap. He found himself hedged m by a number of awkward questions and at" last confessed to the whole sorryscheme. He saw Furey and advised him to make a clean breast, too. Such was the tale that Acting-De-tectives Harding and Hayhurst, under the guidance of Chief Detective Ward, told Justices of the Peace A. A. Gower and H. W. Lloyd m the Wellington Police Court last week, when Gillies and Furey were jointly chai-ged with attempting to defraud the National Insurance Company of £90. Of Acting-Detective Harding, Lawyer P. Keesing, who appeared for Furey, asked: Has it come to your knowledge that on a number of occasions Gillies has hypnotized Furey? — Yes. You know they have been friendly for a considerable time? — Yes. They have told you they were attending the same, spiritualist Sun-day-school? — Furey stated that he met Gillies there about four years ago. And that Gillies was an instructor there? — Furey told me so. Have you formed any opinion whose was the master mind? — I am not able to say. It was a mutual agreement to destroy the car. There was a certain amount of cunning displayed m the plan? — I can't say that. But throwing the matchbox away; that was crudely and carelessly done? — Possibly. Lawyer W. E. Leicester, who appeared for Gillies, had something to say to the witness. "Ypu don't suggest," he said, "that Furey was under the hypnotic influence of Gillies when he pushed the car over the bank? — "No." His actions were due to live spirits, I take it, not dead ones? — Yes. (Laughter). Both the accused admitted their guilt and were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.