ALLEGED MISAPPROPRIATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20283, 16 December 1927, Page 12

ALLEGED MISAPPROPRIATION.

CUSTOMS CLERK CHARGEDREMARKABLE STORY OF BLACKMAIL. (Special to Daily Times.) AUCKLAND, December 15. A remarkable story of alleged blackmail was told by William Patrick Kelleher, aged 29, a clerk employed by the Customs Department at Auckland, who pleaded guilty at the Police Court this morning to 19 charges of theft of moneys totalling £941 8s sd, belonging to the New Zealand Government. Mr G. P. Finlay appeared for Kelleher, who admitted all the charges, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Evidence was led ov Chief Detective Cummings, who prosecuted. In the statement which the accused signed and gave to Detective E. Nalder, who arrested him, Kelleher said that he was a married man residing with his wife and two children at Ellerslie. Ho had been in tho Customs Department at Auckland for the past 13 years. He was second clerk, and during the last two years he had been cashier in the local office. “ About 18 months ago I was approached by a man who asked mo for a loan of £70,” said Kelleher. “ I had a surplus of £7O at the end of the period that day, and this I gave to the man on condition that he paid it back to me the next morning. This he failed to do. Then the man said that he had a witness to prove that I did not give him the money. I had no receipt for it. This man accused me of dishonest acts while I was employed as ganger on the wharf. I was afraid of being exposed. Since then he repeatedly forced mo by threats to pay him certain sums of money. This money I took from the Customs cash bv juggling with tho figures. I managed to balance the books each day. I refuse to give this man’s name. I was suspended on November 22. I bet at races, but have not lost any money. All the_ money taken by me has been naid to this man. When he threatened me 1 never complained, and never took anyone into my confidence.”