INGENIOUS IDEA TO SECURE MONEY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 143, 18 June 1931, Page 9

INGENIOUS IDEA TO SECURE MONEY.

YEAR’S GAOL GIVEN TO CONFIDENCE MAN

The story of a series of ingenious confidence tricks, by which four men were defrauded of a total amount of £39, was told in the Magistrate’s Court this morning, when John Francis Burns, a cabinetmaker, aged 28, faced Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M • on five charges of obtaining money by false pretences. The history of the accused’s offences, which were admitted by the man in the dock, was told by Sub-Inspector O’Hara. The accused arrived in Christchurch early this month, and straightway inserted advertisements in the papers, calling for men to take positions in a_ business which he alleged he was starting. “ He offered them all attractive positions and salaries, and even went so far as to show some of them a savings bank book, showing that he had £172 2s in the bank, whereas his real balance was two shiflings. When they accepted the appointments, he insisted that they should enter into a bond so that the accused would be ‘ safeguarded.’ He asked them for £3O. One was wise enough to place the money in the hands of a solicitor on trust, so he was not defrauded, but all the others were caught. One named Cecil Frederick Ashton lost £lO, another named Henry William Cameron lost £lO, and another named John Alexander Fleming lost £8 10s. Also, there is another charge, on which I ask that the accused be remanded to Auckland. He is charged with being a rogue and a vagabond on account of a similar offence there, by which he obtained £20.” Dr Haslam, who appeared for the accused, said that there was nothing to be said, as the accused had no defence or excuse to offer. On the four Christchurch charges, the accused was sentenced to terms totalling twelve months’ imprisonment. He was remanded to Auckland on the rogue and vagabond charge.