A MEAN IMPOSTOR.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13899, 24 January 1916, Page 7

A MEAN IMPOSTOR.

HOG US HERO OBTAINS MONEY BY FALSE PRETJ-INCES. (Special to Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. A young man named Frederick George Santos appealed before _\lr Fraser, fcj.Al., as an exponent of the art oi false pretences a»s it may be indulged m by a person with a lively wit and khaki uniform. He admitted that at Tima-ru a. couple of months ago he obtained a suit of clothes at the expense of tho Timaru Patriotic Society, and that ha had also got 20a from a man m Christchurch by false pretences. A .sketch of his career was given by Chief Detective AlcAlahon. "He is a professional loafer, or a back door hero, who lives on tho reputation of other good fellows that have made a name at the front," said the detective. At the | end of 1915 Santos joined the expeditionary force with tlie sixth reinforcements, and went to Trentham. He was absent from camp without leave. Subseiquently it was ascertained that he had been staying at a Airs Brown's house [iv Wellington, and had left without paying his board. He called on a minister m Wellington Avith a story that he had just received} a wire from liis mother, who had been taken seriously ill, and despite precautions taken by tho minister to see that the fare to Auck hind for the purpose of seeing tho sick mother was not misspent, Santos managed to get hold of a.i advance of £5 16s m money, and then made his way to Blenheim. There he was known variously under the names of Sullivan, McMahon, Kelly, and Alahoney. He stayed at a good hotel, amd left behind him a Government military coat and bandolier. He Avent to Picton and then to Christchurch. In the latter place he ! represented that he was a. returned soldier, and through the offices of persons connected with the patriotic fund got a draw of £1, and also an order for board m Timaru. A sum of £40, four £10 notes, was found m the passage of a private hotel at which Santos was staying, and the find was advertised. Santos claimed the money, stating that he liad previously found the money m a street and had lost it m the hotel. Eventually ho got the money, and moved" on to Dunedin, where, despite liis possession of the £40, he got a small advance from the patriotic fund. Then he got back to Auckland, and got an advance of £2 from the patriotic society. Prior to going into camp at Trentham Santos had borne a good character. His Worship stated that previous good conduct could not excuse tho series of false representations to enable accused to be treated liko a first offender. He was sentenced to a month's imprisonment on one charge, and on the other was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called on, a condition being that when he got work he should repay by instill ments the money he had obtained by improper means. lie would also be prohibited.