FALSE PRETENCES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7119, 7 June 1901, Page 2

FALSE PRETENCES.

A SERVANT GIRL'S COURTSHIP. At Manchester City Police Court, John Holmes, alias Joseph Kemp, a painter, was charged with obtaining 20s by false pretences. The proseeutris, a servant, girl named Sims, told an extraordinary story. From i I<his it appeared that whilst acting as domestic 1 help 'at a house iii- a suburb of; the city she met the prisoner, who 7 eventually promised to marry her. On March 17, however, a woman came to her and asked her if she was engaged to a man known as Kemp, and when she replied that she was, the woman' said that tha man already 'had a wife living. In tho meantime, Kemp had obtained the 20s from her, with the object of purchasing clothing for the marriage, wtiieh had been fixed to take place on Tuesday of Easter, week. She taxed her lover with being a married man, and immediately afterwards she found that he had gone away. Information was given by her to the police, and as the result of inquiries the man in custody was received from the Leeds police. It was then found that he 'had given Mss Sims a false name, and he was a mai\ ried man. When charged with the offence, the prisoner said he intended paying the money back. / ' ' In reply to the magistrates, ' Miss Sims said it was thoroughly undierstood "they were to be married, and sh&- would not have given the ; prisoner the money had she known that he was a married man. The prisoner was remanded for further ]£ouiciea.