HE WENT BIG

NZ Truth, Issue 1175, 7 June 1928, Page 9

HE WENT BIG

Villain Acted Hero For A Day (From "N.Z. Truth's" Wanganui Rep.) He was one of those men who believe m getting things ddne— an engineer m quite a. broad sense. Then, m the midst of the shining v/eb he was' weaving with the gossamer strands of assumption and airy bluff, he Was found out. TO Wanganui business men he first / L introduced, himself sis' "Mr. H. A. Dufant," his proper, name being John Edward Weldqri, ,6f middle age, and riot .unknown to the. police. [ Weldon, who is by occupation and I hobby, an engineer,, happened to be m New Plymouth, and, desiring a change of climate, it did not take him long to secure a t&xi ride to Wanganui. He commissioned Itichafd Kendrick to drive him through,, and en route, stopped sLi several dairy factories where he had a good look sit the machinery, and led the taxi man to belieVe that he was an Inspector of ma'chiriery. . . . ; , , Arriving af Wanganui, he told Kendrick to meet ..him at the; Rutland Hotel m the afternoon and he would square u# for the ride. He never kept the appointment. ST: JOHN'S HILL? Weldon wasted no .time m getting m .touch with Thomas Gillmari, d\ land agent, and after inspecting several suburban hdfnes, he picked on on© amongst the celebrities on St. John's Hill., ... . . Gillmari was" , deiigh'ted, for lie ftJad been assured .{hat it was a cash deal ,and it was only a matter, after signing the agreement,- to wait a few days until Weldoii's bank balance could be transferred frofri^ Westport. .. The next stage was to visit the shop of Pursers', Ltd., and trot the manager, Leonard, C. Trayers, off to the newlyacquired home to arrange fpr the furniture to the tune of £ 437. .Travers naturally t swallowed all the dope the alleged, West Coaster poured into his ear and set to work to cut the curtains, etc. - He also introduced his client to Bill Herd, of Tingey's, Ltd., dnjSL Bill had the painters and decorators haErd at work the next morning feribvating the house. The. unknown Grbesus wanted the job hurried along as he desired to see it well. under way before he returned to the Coast allegedly to bririg along the family. The immediate surroundings also required some attention. so, David William Grilbeftsori was looked up,- arid, he also broke a speed record Jn sending his carpenters along. Of course, a landscape gardener, was eilso required and one of the business men arranged to .send along the best gardener m the cily. , Having got things swinging merrily, Weldon then acquired a .loan of , £ 5 from orie of the. firm's. .With this he ''wet" the new joTd and {old them that a casual drink .of that sort would be nothing, to the house -warming' they would when the family were united.at St. John's Hill. Having completed these multifarious transactions on purely mythical affluence, and beinV able t6 show a small credit balance at the same time,- Wjeldon thought it wa's time for, anotiHer joy-ri4e,; so, with a cigar m his input.!'}, he walked up to Harry Dunstall oh the taxi stand and the driver fell for it like th,e rest. , , Harry wiLa told tt> call round next niq'rhlng .for. th'e' mon,ey v - but th'e wily bird . lia'd fto^ynV following a lavish house-warming' to some of. the boarders'. . .■'.-.... ■ ■ Before Messrs. H. J. Keesing arid J. Aitken, J.P.s, he pleaded guift^ to three.' charge's of i fraud and wa's committed to the Supreme Court for Sentence.