GOOD THING WHILE IT LASTED

NZ Truth, Issue 1233, 18 July 1929, Page 4

GOOD THING WHILE IT LASTED

Easy Pickings For "Take Downs," But Forde Woke Up

MONEY- MAKING SCHEME BREAKS DOWN

(Prom "N.Z. Truth's" Timaru Representative). Becoming suspicious of the bona fides of two men with whom he had lodged bets to the extent of £15 on horses running 1 m the South Canterbury Jockey's Club's Winter meeting, Patrick Frederick Forde, of Southland, "put the show away" by calling m the police.

HIS suspicions were quite justified and, as a result, two brothers, John James McGifford and Patrick Raymond McGifford, of Lyttelton, who, it transpired, had come to Timaru with the intention of taking down the uninitiated, by passing themselves off as bookmakers, were brought before the Timaru Police Court. -The former was charged with having carried on the business of a bookmaker at Timaru. Both were charged with being idle and disorderly persons without visible means of support. Having come to Timaru to attend: a wedding, Forde ran across the brothers McGifford, in an hotel bar, the elder representing himself as an old pal of Forde's brotherin -law. The trio became firm friends under the ..mellowing influence of a few drinks, and eventually Forde was told m strictest confidence that "Jack" McGifford was a bookmaker m a big way. Forde was induced to have a few bets. He was told that Beau Geste was a good thing. It was one of those horses which couldn't lose. He came to light with £4. The following day he was told that the horse had been scratched, and that he had lost. the £4. Still believing m his friends, Forde decided to try his luck again. This time he took a £5 double on ! Taboo-Wingatui. Later he handed over £3 to be put on Dumblane and a like amount for Fairy Herald m the last race. When the transactions were being made, a glance full of meaning passed between the brothers,' but it . was observed by Forde,

who had begun to doubt the bona* fides of his friends. The brothers agreed to see Forde later m the day. They kept their appointment, but with Forde was a constable. It was a bit of a jar to the McGiffords, and the elder, who, by the way, had passed himself off under the name of Campbell, offered their victim £5 to "square things." The younger McGifford also used an assumed name, being introduced by his brother as "Pat" Mason. His reason for" this, he told the police, was that he did not wish to get his brother into trouble. Both accused pleaded guilty, and advanced drunkenness as a reason for their lapse from the straight and narrow path. Most of the money received from Forde, they said, had been handed to a bookmaker m Timaru. Senior-Sergeant T. Gibson, for the police, said that John McGifford had a record. Nothing was known against his brother. The elder McGifford was sentenced to three months' imprisonment on the bookmaking charge and one month's imprisonment on that of being an idle and disorderly person. Mr. McLennan, as senior justice,' made some very caustic remarks concerning John McGifford. j "The charges against you have been clearly proved," he said. "It is obvious that you have but small regard for the truth, and that you came to .Timaru with the deiiberate intention of 'taking down' people m connection with the races." Patrick Raymond McGifford was discharged on the undei-standing that he would leave Timaru by the first train.