Bogus Detective Raids Chinese House

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 840, 7 December 1929, Page 1

Bogus Detective Raids Chinese House

LOOKED FOR OPIUM FINE OF £lO IMPOSED Seated chatting round the teatable last evening, a number of Chinese living at a house in Federal Street had their peace rudely disturbed by Charles "Henry Whitehead and a companion. Whitehead said that he was a detective and had been instructed to search the house for traces of gambling or opium smoking. Whitehead, alias Charles Henry Warne, a labourer aged 29, was fined £lO at the Police Court this morning, charged with assuming the designation of a detective, though not a member of the New Zealand Police Force. He pleaded not guilty. Sub-Inspector McCarthy said that, at 7.30 last evening, Whitehead and a companion had visited a house at 109 Federal Street, where several Chinese were seated at a table. They had said they came to look for evidence of gaming and wished to search the house. One of the Chinese became suspicious and locked the front and back doors of the house. He then phoned for the police, but learning what was afoot, the two men forced their way out of the house. Whitehead had been caught at the back of a nearby hotel. Fong Gung, a laundryman, corroborated the sub-inspector’s statement. The men had announced themselves as having been sent by the chief detective to search for traces of gaming and opium smoking. One had triad to take a counting board, but was told that it was used for business. While they were looking through the house witness had phoned for the police. Fong Cheong, who was guarding the front door, was swept to one side as the men dashed for the street. Whitehead had disappeared into the hotel. Fong Cheong corroborated the evidence of the other Chinese.

Constable Peterson said that, when arrested and identified by Fong Gung, Whitehead had said that it was only a hit of a joke. The man had had a few drinks but was by no means drunk. Whitehead maintained that he had been under the influence of liquor and the exploit had been a joke. “No man would pass himself off as a detective if he were sober,” he urged. The sub-inspector mentioned that the maximum penalty was a fine of £SO. “It was a serious offence, and this man knew it,” he said. “He has been in trouble before.” Default of the fine was fixed at a month’s imprisonment.