FORGERY OPERATIONS ON A LARGE SCALE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 62

FORGERY OPERATIONS ON A LARGE SCALE.

THREE YOUNG MEN'S ADVENTURES. WELLINGTON, January 31. three men—William Holland Makin (aged 29 years), Leonard Vv alter Mu kin (aged 28 years), ami Percy Dowling UawK.uV (aged 3c years)—appeared before Mr W. R. Riddell, S.M., to-day on 18 charges of forging the name of G. I. Beeson to Government cheques. Ihe total amount involved was £ll., 739 9s. Detective Nuttall said that on December 29, 1922, accused Haw-kips called at the detective office, Wellington, and informed witness that ho was the third party connected with forging Government cheques. He said he had consulted his solicitor, and had made up his mind to tell the truth about the whole affair. A statement was made by Hawkins that he visited W II Makin at his farm at Moturata. Leonard Makin was also there. They discovered a scheme, and thought if they could get blank cheques from the Discharged Soldiers’ Department, fill them in and forge Beeson s signature, it would be possible to operate on them. About the beginning of November, 1922. he came to Wellington for the purpose of getting blank cheques. Witness described how he and L. Makin went to the D.S.b office early one morning, unscrewed a staple from a locked cupboard, and took a cheque book. They went to the Bank of New Zealand at Palmerston North and presented a cheque for about £6O. “ Bill ” Makm asked if he could pav the cheque into his account at, the post office. The accountant said he could. This was done to see it the banks would pay cash on the cheques. I o make the scheme workable they concluded they would have to open accounts at different banks. Hawkins made out 23 cheques on various banks in Tara”akl;, Wanganui, Marton, Palmerston North, Ma-sterton, Carterton, and five towns m Hawke s Bay. He made out the body ot the cheques, and understood that the other two were going to sign them. It was arranged that he should work the towns in Hawke s Bay; “ Bill ” from Marton to New Ilvmouth and “Bunny” to Wairarapa. He left 1 eliding on a motor bike. When about four miles out he dismounted and burnt the cheques, and everything in connection with the cheques that were not used he took with him on the bike. The cheques he burnt were those which he was to operate in Haw ke s Bay. After burning the cheques he went to Wanganui about 11 o’clock one night, took the remaining cheques and stationery m a bag with a stone in it and threw- them into the river. He made no arrangements for opening accounts there. Had the scheme been successful, it was not intended to withdraw the full amounts by the cheques deposited at the various bank's on December 30. The detective said he interviewed the accused Leonard Walter Makin at Terrace Gaol. The latter corroborated Hawkins's statement. William Holland Makin w-as biought under arrest, to Wellington on January 13. He had written out a similar statement, giving details of his share in the business, which he signed in- the presence of witness. The three, accused had initialled 16 forged cheques but the remaining two had not come to hand. Accused admitted that all cheques were forged. After other witnesses had identified the cheques, and the Makins as the men who presented them at various banks, accused, who pleaded guilty, were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.