LUXURY FOR A YEAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21384, 11 July 1931, Page 8

LUXURY FOR A YEAR

MYTHICAL £400,000 FORTUNE SUED BY FIANCEE FOR £50,000. How a penniless young waiter lived in luxury' for a year on the strength of a mythical fortune of £400,000, was revealed at Los Angeles recently, when Elene Aristi, a film actress, sued Pierce Haliick for £30,000 damages in a breach of promise suit. „ ■ , Faced by this action, Halhck admitted that he had no money and that the story of his legacy was an April Fool joke invented a year ago by a friend^ “To my surprise,” Hallick said, “ everyone was ready to believe this invention,, and so many presents and offers of help were heaped on me that I .did not like to decieve them. “I found that money came rolling in as soon as it was believed that I was rich. Not only friends, but complete strangers forced money on me and offered me as much more as I wanted till I collected my legendary estate. You have no idea bow eusv it is to get all you want in this world if only people think you are “ I told people that my father was a New York broker. Actually, he died a pauper and had been a restaurant worker. Altogether, £4OOO was given to me, of ‘which I have not 28s left. Some of the money I got went into an investment company I . floated. , “ 1 became engaged to the Hollywood film actress Mise Aristi, and gave her £SOO to, go to New York to buy her trousseau and bought her a car on the instalment system. Then things began to close in on me and 1 invented a story that 1 had been robbed of £50,000 in bonds in order to gain time to raise more money:" , . . , . During the 12 months’ enjoyment of this phantom fortune, Hallick lived in style and was lavishly entertained by hosts of new-found friends.