THEFT AND FRAUD.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20540, 15 February 1935, Page 7

THEFT AND FRAUD.

Salesman Sentenced to Prison. “NO FURTHER LENIENCY.” “ You have had many chances and you cannot expect any further leniency from the Court.” said the Magistrate (Mr E. D. Mosley) to-day in sentencing Edward Andrews Morgan, a salesman, 30 years of age, of Oxford Terrace, to terms of six months’ and four months’ imprisonment, with hard labour, respectively on charges of failing to account for money and of issuing a valueless cheque. The sentences were made cumulative. The charges were: That on January 20, 1935, at Hokitika, having received money totalling £46 4s from divers persons on terms requiring him to account for it to the Christchurch Vacuum Sales. Ltd., he fraudulently omitted to do so, thereby committing theft; that on January 24, at Hokitika, with intent to defraud, he obtained from Edith Webster board and lodgings to the value of £l2 14s 8d by falsely representing that a cheque drawn on the Union Bank of Australia, Christchurch, and signed E. D. R. Morgan and Silvia E. Wright, was valid lor that amount. The accused pleaded guilty. Visit to West Coast. Detective Thomas said that the accused was a salesman dealing in vacuum cleaners. He had got into touch with a woman in Christchurch and induced her to float a company known as the Christchurch Vacuum Sales, Ltd. The woman put £l4O into the business, and also lent the accused £25. The accused put £5 of this loan into the business. At Christmas time the accused went to the West Coast, where he bought six vacuum cleaners on behalf of his company. He sold four of them and did not account for the money. When he left the hotel at Hokitika to come back to Christchurch he paid for his board and lodging, and also that of a woman with a valueless cheque. From Christchurch he went to Dunedin and attended a race meeting. The accused had had several chances, added Detective Thomas. Gambled and Lost AIL The accused said that while he was on the West Coast he was persauded to gamble in a bar one evening and he lost all his money. He found out later that he had had no chance of winning He did not know that the cheque which he presented for board was valueless, and when he went to Dunedin he did not attend the races, his idea being to raise the money, for which he had to account. The Magistrate: You have been ordered to come up for sentence if called on five times since 1927. You can’t expect further leniency.