A FEMALE SWINDLER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14282, 3 August 1908, Page 5

A FEMALE SWINDLER.

■*t> ■ . VERT UNDESIRABLE IMMIGRANT. (PROU ODR OWN COBP.ESPONDF.NT,) AUCKLAND, August 1. A young ami well-dressed woman of rather fascinating appoaranco has been having a flutter in society circles in several country towns m Auckland, and numerous gay young bachelors who had laid their hearts at her feet aro feeling rather painod just now. lho young woman, May Hallott by name, an<l with eoveiul aliases, appeared at tho Cambridge Police Court' yesterday 1,1 , a ' ,s "' c f t0 a charge of obtaining board and lodgings at tho National Hotel for herself and maul by false pretences. Accused pleaded guilty. Chief Detective Mareack prosecuted, and explained that the false pretences were partly by inference and partly by word. The young woman represented herself as one of a party of tourists, who wero touring tho colonies, and that her imaginary friends would follow. Sho even engaged rooms for them. Tho detective stated that accused, after leaving Auckland some days iu»o, went to Hamilton, passing lierealf off as a Miss Baker. Sho loft for the Thames without satisfying tho hotelkeeper. At the Thames sho stayed at a good hotel oa lho Honourable Miss Collard, f| 10 elite of tho town. \\!hilo there she induced a young girl named Evolyn I'eavee to accompany her on her tour, at- a salary of 25s a week and all expenses. Together they arrived at Cambridge, and after being there a short while, sho and h«; maid went to tho station, accused boarding the train with tho intention, as sho stated of meeting her friends at Ruakura Junction. Sho did not roturn, however, and was arrestfcd at Auckland. Miss l'earce brought little or no money away with her, and wa ß practically left stranded. The detective considered this one of tho woist features of the ease. Accused, it was further stated, had throo previous oonvictions against her for theft of jewellery. On theso charges she luvd been leniently treated, having been sent to St. Mary's Home under a bond of good behaviour, but tliis had been broken. Sho had arrived from England by tho s.s. Fifeshiro under engagement as a domestic 'to a Gisborne lady, but had remained in Auckland, Accused (v;iy> sentenced to ono month's imprisonment. (