MATRIMONIAL FRAUD.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10140, 29 August 1904, Page 4

MATRIMONIAL FRAUD.

An amusing case came before the Sydney Court the other day. Edward Pedro, alias Kdward Malos, aged! 41, a French cook, avus charged with falsely pretending to Walter Richards that a certain advertisement — namely "European lady, 25, about £1500 income, wishes to meet respectacle gent., view matrimony; genuine. — E.P., P. 0., Alexandria," was a genuine advertisement, and that he (Pedro, alias Malos) was a correspondent for the lady referred to m it, by means of which false pretence he attempted to obtain from Walter Richards the sum of 10s with intent to defraud. As a result of the advertisement 69 letters were sent to the defendant. Trades and professions were well represented m the list of correspondents who were willing to sacrifice themselves on the altar of matrimony. Law, medicine and the honorary magistracy entered into competition with the hiirdv son of toil for the. fair prize. None of them, strange to say, were actuated by mercenary motive* They simply yearned for tne young lady's love. Many 'of them stated)' their weight, height, health and personal appearance, and while they referred to themselves with a certain amount of modesty, their descriptions were generally calculated 1 to produce a favorable impression. The following is a verbatim copy of one of the accused's letters:—"Dear Sir,— ln reply to your letter I beg to inform you I am only a correspondent of tlie lady wishing a union with- a respectable Australian m-ntleimin. She is French by birth, as I am, and speaks fairly English. Her fortune m cash and properly I will let you know. You have no commission to pay if you are able by my intermediate to be an eligible partner. You have only for fee to send me 10s by post, free on my correspondence, as the lady is not m 'Sydney for the present ; and after I will given, you all particulars and appointment after, as all communications are strictly confidential. Hoping your letter is genuine. When I receive from you I will immediately transfer your letter." The accused was committed for trial.