A MEAN FRAUD.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 15079, 29 November 1919, Page 5

A MEAN FRAUD.

Many dodges have been tried by people seeking to get money easily, but •a. rnovel method was disclosed before Mi* J. S. BartoriyS.M., at the Police Court to-da.y. A charge was preferred against Thomas McGili, alias Thomas Matthew McGili, aged 23 years, with hav'irfg on October 30 ihtiended to defraud Reginald Qaullkm, of £6, by making a false pretence that 'ie had made arrangements with Thos. Haisman, -undertaker, to pay the funeral expenses of the late Harry Elly, who died at the hospital about that date. . ' 'Reginald Caulton, licensee of the Gisborae Hotel, said that accused asked for "£6 to bury, his mate (who had died m the hospital) as he didn't want him to be buried' a pauper." Accused said he had arranged .with the undertaker, and that £6 Avas the cost of the funeral which . deceased's people would refund. Witness would not have lent the money if ■ accused had not "pitched the tale" about the dead; 'mate. A short time previously witness. had lent accused £5 to get to work with.

■ Cross-examined by accused, witness said accused! did not say he would repay the money when 119 got work, but said deceased's relatives would pay. Thos. Haisman deposed that accused' had never made arrairagements with him to bury the deceased, and did not pay the funeral expenses. — To accused : The secretary of tlie hospitail made the arfarigeirierits. -\ Detectlive McLeod deposed that when arrestM aacused saiid he -had paid deceased's board. Tn dctiused's lwssession was af te'egram from R.'Elly, Westport, stating that the funeral had been arwith the secretary of the hospital. Acciised had previously wired to' deceased's ' brotheifi asking, him to send £10 to roinibiu'se the funeral expense.». Accused had not been convicted of dishonesty before, but there Avas a "list" of miscelhuieous '''convictions' ag*:.nst him. . '"* '

Accused pleaded giwilty, and. m addition to being prohibited, waa filmed £10, with costs 7s. or one montli'a imprisonment, and was otderedtb refund Mr Oaulton £6. A month was allowed m which to pay the money. His Worship said- -the act was a particularly mean. ;sort "of 'theft, to makp capital! , on,^ of a.. mateY fl^atjl. it '