ALMOST BLACKMAIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20743, 14 June 1929, Page 10

ALMOST BLACKMAIL.

EFFORT TO EXTRACT MONEY. YOUNG MAN’S FOOLISH LETTER. iSpecial to Daiit Times.) AUCKLAND, June 13. A letter meant for the husband but read by the wife resulted in trouble for Claude Edgar Young, aged 20, a motor driver. When Young penned a letter to Samuel Arthur on June 5, little did he think that the contents would be made public or that it would result in his appearance at the Police Court this morning on a charge which Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., said amounted to blackmail. Young was charged that with menaces ho did demand £22 10s from Arthur with intent to steal this sum. Mr Singer represented the accused. ‘"This is a peculiar case,” said Chief Detective Hammond. “ Young once worked with Arthur, when some years ago they had been in the habit of taking girls Out for motor car drives. - Subsequently the accused left Arthur’s employ. He conceived the idea of getting some easy money out of Arthur, and wrote him the following letter:— “ ‘ I have been to my lawyer about a separation order from my wife. I have ample proof that you have been taking her about with you while your own wife was absent. My word, that was downright mean of yon, Arthur. If I get £22 10s from you by Wednesday to pay my solicitor’s costs I won’t go any further with the matter. You are getting off light.”’ '

Young, added Mr Hammond, rather than sign his own name, .employed a iiom de plume, giving as his address cave of the Parnell Post Office. The letter also contained the following postscript:—“Yon arc a rotten devil to give my wife drink.”

Mrs- Arthur got possession of the letter and wrote to the address given, asking for further particulars and asking the writer to make an appointment with her, said Mr Hammond. Young, still under another name, again wrote to Arthur. Mrs Arthur was a sensible woman to hand the letter over to her husband, and the matter wag afterwards reported to the police. Mr Hammond said that Young was not strong. He suggested that the charge might he reduced to one of attempted theft and be dealt with by the magistrate. Young had never been in any trouble previously. ■Mr Singer said that Young had been in desperate straits and had been out of work. It was only then that he devised this scheme. Arthur owed him some money, but, of course, that did not palliate the offence.

Mr Hunt: This is blackmail, you know, Mr Singer. “ Hardly, sir,” replied counsel. “ Anyway, as your Worship can sec, Young is not a desperado by any means.” — (Laughter.) Mr Hunt decided to remand Young for sentence until to-morrow so that a report might be obtained from the probation officer in the meantime.