TICKET-OF-LEAVE "PEER."

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 1872, 13 February 1920, Page 9

TICKET-OF-LEAVE "PEER."

GIFTS FOR KING. STBANGE VISITOR AT A NOBLEMAN'S MANSION. A man whom the London poliee say is on ticket-of-leave is believed to have posed as a peer and baronet, and obtained valuable articles, ostensibly as presents for royalty. He is James Douglas, although known by several aliases, and was charged at Westminster recently with a number of rases of robbery, fraud and false pretences. Here is the story as reported in the London dailies: — "I have not twopence in the world, and that is why I did it." he is reported to have confessed when arrested. Among the accusations against him are that, in the name of Vieomte Asseea, a Portuguese nobleman, he obtained an antique silver tankard from Messrs Mappin and Webb, in order to make a presentation to the ex-King of Portugal. He was further supposed to have attempted to secure fraudulently a pearl necklace ami candelabra valued at £l/500. and it was when a representative of the firm went to his house that detectives took Douglas into custody under dramatic circumstances.

He was arrested in fashionable apartments in Ennismore Garden, South Kensington, the residence of the vicomte, who is now in Portugal. Following on police suspicions being aroused Detectives Markham and Ebsary went to the house, and, according to the evidence, found Douglas in the diningroom. The officers had ascertained that lie had negotiated for the tenancy, and obtained an agent's order to view by representing himself as Sir Kenneth Douglas. ' His Daimler Car. Asked to show his credentials, he said: "I am Sir Kenneth Douglas, and I am taking this house furnished. I am waiting for my car. I could telephone to do/.ens of people who could tell you who I am." At this juncture the assistant from Mappin awd Webb's entered the room to keep an appointment with regard to the ordered goods. Douglas was then asked about the silver tankard, hall marked Ki7!>, which he had obtained the previous day from the same assistant. Replying to the Magistrate, Detec-tive-Sergeant Markham said prisoner hail gone about with a hired Daimler motor car, ami imposed on house and estate agents as a person of title, lie had in his possession tickets relating to other charges. The tankard had been recovered from the firm in Bond Street. Mr Philip Conway, solicitor, said he was prosecuting for Messrs Barrett and Sons, jewellers and silversmiths, of Piccadilly, who had been defrauded of goods valued at More astounding assurance than that of prisoner could not be imagined.

To the firm he represented himself to be Sir Edward Boyle, Bart., who had rented the furnished residence of the Marchioness of Downs-hire at Charles Street, May fair. He said that the Marchioness required live presents for her jockeys at Newmarket, and made a selection of gold cigarette cases and other valuables to be sent to her house. Hired a Brougham. At that time—the middle of October —it was in the hands of estate agents, from whom he obtained an order to view. He arranged that, when the goods were delivered, he should lie there. Accordingly, when the representative of the firm called to see Douglas he asked for Sir Edward Boyle, and the unsuspecting footman admitted him. Prisoner, with the grente.t deliberation and nonchalance, inspected the goods, and sent the ssenger back to obtain another gold cigarette case, following this success, on another clay he hired a pair-horse brougham for an hour and went to tin? prosecutors' shop for more goods, which included a ciocodilc Biiit case valued at i>.~. Assistance of the Press was asked to trace' this and oilier valuables, as prisoner had told Dete'tive-Sergeant Wool that he disposed of this lot to two young officers at the bar of the Alexandra Hotel for the inadequate sum of £:«>. It was hoped the-e men would return the property. When ir was discovered that the prisoner's equipage was only "a job lot," the real Sir Edward Poyle. of Qui en's Beech Walk. Temple, was rung up on the 'phone, and the fraud was discovered. Prisoner was remanded.