AMAZING CLAIMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22907, 15 June 1936, Page 6

AMAZING CLAIMS

WOMAN'S "FORTUNE"

SWINDLING COUPLE'S FRAUDS

Declaring that there was no limit to human credulity, the Recorder at Brighton Quarter Sessions recently passed sentences of penal servitude on a man and wife for hotel frauds, in which amazing claims to a gigantic fortune played a prominent part. Notes said to have been written by the Governor of the Bank of England and the Home Secretary were mentioned during the trial, and it waß also stated that the couple had made wills leaving a director of the hotel £2,000,000 and £1,000,000 for administering the will. Sitting in the dock with bowed head was Mrs Louisa Robertson, aged 41, who waa alleged to have posed as the heiress to millions. Beside her, still protesting that he believed her story, was her husband, John Robertson, aged 41, a former clerk. They were accused of obtaining by false pretences food valued at £197 from the Regency House Private Hotel (Brighton), Limited, between June 14, 1035, and February 27 this year. They were further charged with obtaining by false pretences credit for board and lodg» ings valued at £517. The husband alone waa also accused of obtaining credit for board and lodgings valued at £lO between June 4 and June 11, 1935. " COLOSSAL IMPERTINENCE." • Mr Eric Neve, prosecuting, declared that their imposture was "as colossal a piece of fraudulent impertinence as one could Come acrosß." Mr and Mrs Robertson took rooms at the hotel for themselves, two children, a blind sister, and subsequently a Mrs Sibley. They agreed to pay £ls 15s a week, plus an extra sum for Mrs Sibley. During their eight months' stay, however, thoy did not pay a farthing for their food, because they lulled Mr Blaxland, a director of the hotel, into believing that they were coming into a fabulous sum out of which the bill would be paid. The fortune was said to have been left by Mrs Robertson's uncle, and comprised estates in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, Belfast and Dublin.

On the strength of the funds "about to burst upon them," they arranged a celebration dinner at the Savoy Hotel, London, at which the Home Secretary and Mr Montagu Norman, Governor of the Bank of England, were to be guests. Notes signed " Monty " and " H.S.,' were shown to Mr Blaxland. "Monty," Mrs Robertson pretended, was the signature of Mr Montagu Norman. "H. 5.," was supposed to represent " Home Secretary." One letter shown to Mr Blaxland, and purporting to come from Mr Montagu Norman, contained a proposal to " broach a bottle of Veuve Clicquot 1904 to celebrate the windfall." "It may astonish the jury that this story should have been believed," declared Mr Neve. " But when the prospect of great wealth is dangled before the eyes of a person it usually has* the effect of extending his credulity beyond all normal bounds." HAD TO BE KEPT SECRET. George Blaxland, a director of the hotel, told the court that he was given to understand that nothing must be said about the Robertsons' alleged estate. It had to be kept a secret because the money coming was so colossal that Mr and Mrs Robertson would have no peace were it to become known. .

Toward the end of last year Mrs Robertson fell ill, and he saw each make a will. The last paragraph in each will stated:—

" I also authorise Mr and Mrs George Blaxland to deduct the sum of £2,000,000 for their own personal use, and a further £1.000,000 if required for financing the arrangements ns set out above." Another paragraph was:— I bequeath unto my wife the whole of the assets reverting to nie, that is everything —land and house property or the * furniture, gold, silver, jewellery, cash in hanks, and investments in South Africa, India, South America, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, Belfast and Dublin, of which is coming to me by gifts from my said wife, she being the sole beneficiary of the estate at present being wound up by Mr Martineau, Mr Bailhaehe, and the Governor of the Bank of England. Mr Pensotti. defending: Do you honestly say you believed this story of a £3.000.000 gift by somebody you had known only a few months? Mr Blaxland: Yep. We were very fond of them. They were very quiet and homely people, and they did not drink or s'mokc. We really did have faith in them. NOT SURPRISED. Mr Blaxland added that he had been in business as an hotel proprietor for 17 years, but he was not surprised when the' Robertsons pave him an 1.0. U. for £200.000 in addition to the £3.000.000. Evidence was also given that the party stayed at a Bloomsbury hotel and ran up a bill, of which £ll4 was outstanding. Robertson, in evidence, declared that he still believed his wife was coming into this vast sum of money from her uncle. Mr Neve: Have you any money yourself? —No, except six shillings. Has your wife any money?—Not in her present position. Detective Sergeant W. Clinch alleged that on the way to the police station in a police car Mrs Robertson turned to her husband and said, "I "will accept full responsibility."