“SYNTHETIC PETROL”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17434, 5 December 1930, Page 4

“SYNTHETIC PETROL”

YOUNG MAN FOR TRIAL SALE TO A COMPANY ALLEGATION* OF FILM'D. (l’cr Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last night. The claims of an inventor to have manufactured synthetic, motor spirit, ami bis dealings with a company floated in Auckland, funned the basis ui a case in the Police Court, when Gordon Dugald Crawford, 2>, was charged with obtain ing £IOO from Herbert Allan Steadman, of Auckland, as agent foe (Jie New Zealand Petrol Co., Ltd.. by a false pretence. bv selling to Hie company a certain fonniila and process which was valueless. There were further charges of obtaining T 25 from Ihe company by falsely pretending that lie could manufacture a- substitute for benzine; of obtaining £IOO in the same maimer, and of stealing £22. the property of the company. Herbert Allan Steadman said Crawford claimed to be the inventor of a formula for making petrol or motor spirit- from c hemicals. 'I lie accused arranged to sell the formula to the New Zealand Petrol Co., and entered into, an agreement, with it. The company eventually agreed to purchase the formula. Witness said oil August, 16 it was arranged that the formula should he written out, and £2OO paid to the vendors, Crawford and his uncle. The formula was secretly written out by the accused, sealed in an envelope and deposited in a bank. Subsequently the accused received the money from the company to purchase ingredients to make the experiments. Later, Crawford said lie had received a threatening letter and bad been followed. A letter which was written on a telegraph form in block letters was then produced in court. It read: “If you go through with this demonstration. you will not live 24 hours.” “FORMULA OPENED” Witness then described the demonstration by the accused, which was a complete failure, the accused saying he did not have the correct apparatus. Later witness got the formula from the bank, [is contents were as follows: “The formula is concealed on the properly of W. H. iSoppett. Htimia. and the place is known only to me. When 1 wrote if out I neglected to state one important thing. As each and every ingredient is being transferred from the test tube to the container, the person doing if must count from 1 to 10. This is very important. I have done this in the interests of the company, as 1 consider the formula, is very mm-b safer where it is than in the bands of any individuals. I feel sure the company will appreciate what 1 have done. ’

There were no chemicals or ingredients mentioned in the formula, continued Steadman, who said that the suitcase was opened at the directors’ meeting on

October 9. and found to contain a number of folir-oimee bottles with liquid in them which looked like potassium permanga fe.

I Witness said that mi duly 16 accused gave an unsuccessful demonstration, but | another on the following day was successful. He produced about two-thirds of two quarts of what appeared lo be motor spirit. He carried out this demonstration alone, and no one saw what be was doing.

! Kenneth Massey Griffin. Government analyst at. Auckland, stated on Novem- - her 19 lie bad received jars for analysis, and mi making an analysis of the ingredients of each of the jars be found (be 1 i<|uid was a solution of potassium i permangato in water, being what, was known as Uuiidys fluid. The value of the materials in ibe six jars was 2d. 11l KTMEXTS DISAITLAK Acting-Detective Moore said ho left Auckland on November 4 to escort Crawford back from Sydney. Witness took a deposition made in Auckland, •an envelope containing the formula, and •the agreement between the company and Crawford and bis uncle. Witness left ; Sydney with the accused on the Niagara on November 13. The documents were kept in an envelope in a suitcase in tlm cabin. On the return journey, during the voyage, witness found that the docu- , ments were missing. lie ami the accused occupied the cabin. No other person on the ship knew, he. had the papers. I Detective Nalder said that as the re- , suit of a complaint (hat the. accused was being followed by a strange man info various shops in the suburbs while lie was obtaining certain ingredients, lie questioned the accused, who showed a great deal of hesitation about, going into details. He said Hud all that had happened was that twice when lie was in 'Dominion road, he bad seen a man | watching him. Nothing further was done I until Ibe accused reported the receipt of an anonymous letter threatening his life. , Witness questioned accused with respect to tho threatening loiter. Crawford admitted he had written and posted tlm letter to himself. Tie said be had sent if because he bad been threatened by some oilier person, and lie desired to obtain police protection.

Chief Detective Hammond said he showed,the accused one of the bottles of Coiidvs fluid and asked him if that was one of the. ingredients for the manufacture of motor spirit,' He said it was. Tho accused inferred there was something' else in it. Air. Sneddon entered pleas of not guilty to all charges, and the accused was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Rail was allowed in the sum of £SOO, with two sureties of £250. a condition being’ that tiie, accused report weeklv to (lie police.