BENZON, THE PLUNGER

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6830, 18 April 1890, Page 2

BENZON, THE PLUNGER

* Trial and Conviction. [Pkom obb London Correspondent.] London, Feb. 22. The spectacle of the most noble the Marquis of Ailesbury giving evidence in favour of his " old pal," Benzon, before the Correctional Tribunal at Nice was, from all accounts, worth travelling the whole of the distance between England and the Riviera to witness. When it transpired that the charge oE forgery was to be dropped, and that the " Jubilee " would probably escape with a nominal punishment for eseroquerie (swindling), the majority of Englishmen who had resolved to say a word for the wretched youth, in the hope of mitigating punishment, elected not to mix themselves up with the case. The Marquis, however, "came up to time" (as he expressed it) like a tramp, and when he perceived that his slang was perplexing the Court and reducing the dignified interpreter almost to tears, commenced to enjoy himself hugely. He said "the boys" — no, not the street boys, but "chappies"— alwayß thought Benzon " a silly joker," and in consequence christened him the " Jubilee Juggins." Didn't think he would "run crooked" purposely; had always been a "shingle short," and now gambling had driven him " clean clotty." Banzon himself sobbed rather less than on the previous Friday, but was at best a miserable figure, His conceit is ineradicable apparently, for he seems to consider it quite natural that everyone should sympathise with what he terms his misfortune*, and haa throughout been fatuously anxious to know what the papera SFubit him. "They'd never have put Se in prison in England," he remarked ZV+isilor. "I'm too popular. Besides, who Set heard of a chappie with J530 000, bain* locked up. It's d nonsense." b Benzon was toonght from pr son to-day to the Correctional Tribune in the ordinary fiKJS^KSied to feihiaposition S flrtt was » cheque 'of JBIII to the SftJ o« the Hotel VltaliemMentone, H P I >,« ateved. His hotel bill was for a mmm ? rsru stew? L^Si De? bl thewavinwWeh Benzon induced «S« to S!fc TthVcUque for JEIOOO in the them tocaan wie on«H can>6 S^che^nefoYKand, after witness had telegraphed to London, and been mftamed that Mr Hargreaveß was good for Inv amount, witnees W the amount of ttiJ cheque to Benzon. However, he returned tothe bank next day and withdrew the cheque. A few dayalater he presented 1 cheque for JBSOO, which was paid and littKm in tlufSame way. Then, on Sn isTepreaented the cheque for £1000, ;Jd received the money. Meantimethe 'uYpiciona of the bank were aroused. They mt a tracing of the aignature of Mr Hat--eavea written by Benzon to ■paOmi**** learning by telegraph that it waß a gery, Benzon was arrested.

Witnesses were called to speak as to Benzon's previous character. Captain Day called him an imbecile* much more of a fool than a rogue, as was proved by a conversation he had with him on the very day he got the .£IOOO cheque cashed. 'Benzon asked Captain Day if he thought a bank there would pay him a cheque written out by him in the name of Rothschild. Captain Day replied that he would be sent to prison for such an act. Benson responded lightly that it would noh be so great a crime, as his friends would pay the money afterwards. Several other English gentlemen spoke to having known Benzon for a couple of years, and believed him to be more of a fool to himself than a swindler towards others. The prisoner himself was then, interrogated. He said he was twenty-three years of age. He had come into a fortune ot .£300,000 when he was twenty-one, but was now a bankrupt in England. He had, bowever, a private fortune of iJ50,000 left by bis father, which was in the hands of trustees, and could not be touched. When he gave cheques in Mentone and Monte Carlo on Coutts' Bank he firmly believed he had a sufficient balance there to cover them. Further, he was playing at Monte Carlo, aud hoped to win enough to pay off ! his debts ; but he lost and lost, and then in despair made out that cheque in the name of Mr Hargreaves. That amount of one thousand pounds be also lost at Monte Carlo. The Public Prosecufor addressed the Court, and then M. Lairolle, who defended Benzon, made an able speech., imploring the mercy of the Court for one who had already been severely punished by Mb fall from the position of a rich, and. respectable English gentleman to a prisoner ia the dock in a foreign country. A sentence of three months' impri»onment was then passed, and Benzon was removed [by the geosdarme?; A number of his friends were allowed to see him in the ante-room. Mr Beckett, M.P., and Sir Frederick Milner had Beats near the President on the Bench. ' I need scarcely say the general feeling hr that the "J. J." has got off very easily. In England, where influence could scarcely ; have been brought to vary the ordinary i course of justice, the forgery alone would have landed him in penal servitude for at least five years. Ernest Benzon is now, of course, both socially, and from a sporting/ point of view, dead, but his self-conceit seems so illimitable that the fact will I probably have to be forcibly brought Lome . to him.