THE DE GABIS CASE

Southland Times, Issue 19458, 23 January 1925, Page 5

THE DE GABIS CASE

•—- I A FURTHER REMAND. BAIL REFUSED. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, January 22. De Garis apjieared on remand at the Police Court to-day. Chief-Detective Cummings asked for a further remand of one week. Prisoner’s counsel (Mr Moody) said that no word had been received from the Victorian police as to whether an escort had left for New Zealand. De Garis had already been nine days in custody, ample time for the Victorian police to say what they intended doing. He asked for bail; also that, if granted, it be reasonable. Counsel repeated his offer that the prisoner was prepared to return by the first boat, paying , his own expenses. The Chief-Detective objected to bail. De Garis, be said, had left Australia under a false name. When arrested, he had denied his identity. Also, some of the circumstances suggested a tendency to suicide. Mr Poynton, S.M., did not think that bail should be granted. Mr Moody said the authorities should communicate with the Victorian police. Chief-Detective Cummings said that Auckland had done that, but had received no information. Possibly the escort would be arriving in Wellington to-day. Mr Moody: Well, I take it that as soon as the escort arrives accused will be brought up again. Mr Poynton: Of course, that will be done. A POPULAR PRISONER. FINDS DELAY IRKSOME.’ AUCKLAND, January 21. Clement John De Garis, who was arrested aboard the Maheno on its arrival from Sydney last week, is one of the most popular of those who have been put in Mount Eden for some years, if one is to judge by the number of people who visit and inquire for him. A number of friends and acquaintances have visited the gaol to have a word with him, and clergymen of several denominations have made a point of looking him up, possibly because his father was a clergyman. In addition, the police and prison authorities have been besieged by representatives of the Australian Press, requesting permission to have an interview with the prisoner. Permission for an interview by those unknown to De Garis has been refused in all cases, even to a gentleman who stated he represented an American magazine, and wanted to get a “story” from De Garis. It is doubtful if permission for an interview within the precincts of the gaol would avail the pressmen much, save from a descriptive point of view, for De Garis himself, a writer of some talent, is stated to have remarked that he was quite aware of the money value in an exclusive story from him to the Australian Press, and that if he thought fit to make any statement regarding his position and adventures, he would negotiate for it himself with the Australian De Garis also had mail fairly regularly in the shape of cables from Australia, and he has had a number of conferences with the prison censor on the subject of opening cables to and from him. Apart from the receptions to visitors and attending to his correspondence, De Garis goes through the usual routine of a prisoner on remand, and devotes a considerable portion of his spare time to reading. There is reason to believe that the waiting rather irks his active temperament, and that, though fit and well, he Is impatient to be away to Melbourne. So far no advice has been received by the local police of the departure of the Melbourne escort for the prisoner, and De Garis is rather inclined to feel a sense of injury about the delay, seing that he had about £375 on him when arrested, and that the charge against him involves an amount of only £3OO. He argues that the surplus is sufficient to justify the Magistrate in agreeing to his offer to pay the expenses of taking him back by the first boat under a New Zealand escort.