CHARGES OF FRAUD

Otago Witness, Issue 3783, 14 September 1926, Page 31

CHARGES OF FRAUD

CASE AGAINST MRS BEVAN. ACCUSED GIVES EVIDENCE. LONDON, September 8. Mrs Bevan, giving evidence in the charges of fraud against her, said that on the day of her disappearance she remembered being at Exeter, attired only in one stocking and a mackintosh. She did not remember her indentity until two days subsequently. When she did she did not want to return to face her son and her friends. She went to New Zealand because she wanted to leave her former life - behind. She obtained a situation before sailing. Her departure was not associated with the insurance policies, from which she had never received a farthing. Counsel: Why didn’t you communicate with your solicitor if you were anxious about the insurance money? Mrs Bevan: I should have done so. She added that she took out the insurance policies in order to make some provision for her son. She was about to marry a wealthy tea planter, but this was broken off because of the frequent quarrels about the son. The hearing was adjourned. MRS BEVAN SENTENCED. LONDON, September 9. Mrs Bevan was found guilty and was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. In passing sentence the judge said that she had been guilty of a serious and deliberate offence which she had carried out with remarkable skill and ingenuity. “You did it for an unworthy son and played the part of a loyal mother,” he added, “but you broke the laws.” On February 8 last, Susannah Bevan, alias Trixie Finch, who was arrested near Glentui, was charged, before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., in Christchurch, with having, on or about June 24, 19*22, at London, conspired to defraud the Prudential Assurance Company (Ltd.), of London, of £2BBI 13s 6d. She was remanded, pending the arrival of an escort to take her to London. Mrs Bevan, who was described as religious-minded, left her house at a Devon watering place for the purpose of rubbing her side with seaweed as a remedy for heart attacks. Her clothes were found in a cave at midday, folded in a neat bundle. The mackintosh, which was missing, was picked up on another part of the beach weeks later. About 18 months ago her son was killed in a motor accident. On her arrival from New Zealand she was immediately charged at the Bow street Police Court with fraud. The detective who arrested the woman said he told her that she would probably he further charged with manufacturing false evidence for the purpose of misleading a judicial tribunal and obtaining money by false pretences. Mrs Bevan denied the.charges, declaring that she was run over**by a taxicab in Febraary, 1922, and went to Ilfracombe to cover. There she fell from the rocks and was injured in the head. She did not remember going to the beach. She waa glad she had come to England to clear herself.