AMY BOCK BEFORE THE COURT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12219, 11 May 1909, Page 2

AMY BOCK BEFORE THE COURT.

THE

PORT

MOLYNEUX ESCAPADES

MORE INTERESTING LETTERS

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR

SENTENCE

On Friday last that portion of the Dunedin Police Court relegated to the public was filled again with a large and varied crowd of men and women of all ages and stations, who sought to gain another glimpse of Amy Bock. The latter made what may be her final appearance in the lower court, and on this occasion she was called on to answer threo charges preferred against her arising out of her recent adventures at Port Molyneux. Mr J. R. Bartholomew. S.M., presided. MISS HENDERSON'S £41.

Accused (who was defended, as before, by Mr W. L. Moore) was charged with obtaining £41 on Friday 20th from Margaret Henderson by means of a false pretence. Chief Detective Herbert (who prosecuted) outlined the case. Accused, so far as they knew, was a single woman. In January last she had, dressed as a man, presented- herself at a boardinghouse kept by Mrs Butcher at 65 York Place, and was received there as a male boarder. She stayed for some time off and on, and paid her board during the time she was there. After some weeks she went to the Nuggets, where she remained for a considerable time. On the date of this alleged offence she returned to the boarding-house in Dunedin, and there saw Mrs. Butcher's sister, Miss Henderson, to whom she told a story about a serious loss she had had at the Nuggets. She said she had been out fishing in a boat with William Ottaway, and they were hauling in a large groper, when her pocket caught in the rowlock of the boat, with the result that her pocket-book dropped into the sea. She said it contained a £50 cheque, an lOU for £60 which she lent a man at Hanmer, and a large number of sovereigns. She added that she had come to town to get a diver from, Port Chalmers to go to the Nuggets to find the pocket-book. She left the house for the purpose of getting a diver, she said, and returned an hour or two later, stating that she had got one, who would nob go down for less than £50 down. She asked Miss Henderson if she could lend her the amount. Miss Henderson replied that she had not so much, but that she would lend her all she had. Sho went to the Post Office Savings Bank in a cab which accused had waiting, and on these representations the complainant drew £41, and gave it to accused. Then the latter went away with the money, and Miss Henderson

had never received the money back or any part of it; on the contrary, she had spent other money on accused's account. Miss Henderson, who was at first susi picious, but who ; afterwards began to feel uneasy about " Mr Redwood," wrote "him" one or two letters, and in reply to one she received the' following:— Dear Friend,—Your "express" letter did not reach me until Saturday afternoon, too late to get into Balclutha at the time the south express passed there. Anyway, I could not have joined you, much as I should have fiked to have done so, because I have had no success .yet, and Miller (who was the diver) has been awfully good about it. Four days last week they could not get out, as the weather was too rough, so lie is going to give me this week too. He is going to stay till this day week, and if he fails by then I must give up all hope. I feel too downhearted to write all I want to say,- but I must first say this: that you did hurt me very much by your manner that Saturday. I couldn't make out whatever could be the matter. I just for a moment wondered if you regretted lending me the cash, but I will repay you just as soon as ever I can . I want this month's allowance to go to the leasing of this place (the Ottaway's place), but I can do nothing in the matter till Mrs and Miss Ottaway return . They are in Lawrence at present, but are to return some time this week. I am off down to the boat. I hope we will have luck to-day. Trusting you had a pleasant journey and arrived safely home, which I hope to do next Monday night,—l am, yours very gratefully, P. C. Redwood. Evidence was given by Margaret Henderson, who stated, that accused had come to her sister's house on January 11. .Witness's statements were substantially the same as those that appeared in our first account of the Bock case, and were in accord with Detective Herbert's opening remarks. Accused was attired in men's clothes. Witness looked upon her as a mair, and always called her "Mr _Redwood." Accused left on January 27th for the Nuggets. She returned on February 23rd, and told witness of the serious loss of her pocketbook whilst out in a fishing boat with young Mr Ottaway, and said that the place where the pocket-book was lost had been marked off. She had come to town for a diver to recover her pocketbook. The diver was to be found at Port Chalmers, where she visited next day, returning to the boarding-house about 11 o'clock in the forenoon. Accused told"witness that the diver refused to go down unless £50 was put in his j hands right away, and, asking for a loan, accused said the money would be paid back oh March 3rd. Witness drew £41 from the Tbank and gave it to accused, who tendered a receipt (produced) for the loan. Accused told witness that her mother lived at Hamilton, in the Waikato. Such statements induced witness to lend the money to accused. If witness had known that accused was not a man she certainly would not have got the money . Accused's dress basket --was taken away by Detective Hunt. The clothes worn by the accused in the dock were part of the clothing in the dress basket. To Mr Moore: During the fortnight accused stayed at York Place witness and accused had got to know each other. When accused came back from the Nugget 3 with the story of her loss, witness was sorry for her, and thought she told the truth. Witness could not say positively that accused told her that she was out in the boat with Willie Qttaway, but witness-thought that she (accused) did give that name. On the day the money was lent witness did not say that she would give accused three naonths to pay the loan back. Witness, in reply to a letter from accused, wrote stating that she would giye accused three, six, or 12 months, until such time as she could pay the money backi To Mr Herbert: The reason why she (witness) gave accused that time to repay the money" lent was because accused said that she wanted'to give her next allowance towards buying out Mrs Ottaway, so that witness's sister could take over the business. The same deception that caused witness to lend the money caused her to make the promise as regarded time to repay. Of the £41 loaned, accused: had not paid back a penny. Witness had received from Messrs Moore, Moore, and Nichol £5 on account of accused. William Ottaway, a fisherman, stated | that accused went to reside at his motli- | er's boarding-house at the Nuggets on the 27th January last. She was dressed in male attire, and passed as Mr Redwood. She remained there until the 25th of April, when she was arrested by Detective Hunt. She never went out in a fishing boat with him. She was not out fishing with anybody to his knowledge. He never heard anything from her about losing a pocket-book, and a large sum of money. She visited Dunedin on different occasions, but she never said on any of those occasions j that she was going for a diver, and a : diver was never at the Nuggets. Accused became engaged to his sister, * and went through a form of marriage with her. He never at any time had any suspicion that she was a woman. Detective Hunt said he arrested ac- I cused on the 25th of April last at the ! Nuggets, she being then in male attitre and going under the name ■of "P. C. Redwood," He had charged accused with the offence, and she had replied that she would plead "Guilty" at the proper time. Chief Detective Herbert: That is the case, your Worship. Mr Moore: I have nothing to say at this stage, your Worship. Accused pleads "Not Guilty," and reserves her defence. r Chief Detective Herbert: Owing to the surprise Mr Moore has sprung on us. this morning, I ask permission for the other cases t to be heard before asking accused to 'plead. If she does not plead guilty before going to the Supreme Court, tlie Crown will be at the expense of bringing witnesses from the Nuggets and from all over the country. Mr Moore said he had no objection to the other cases being heard before accused was called upon to plead. A FALSE DECLARATION. Amy Bock was then charged with having, on the Bth of March last, at Romahapa, wilfully made, " for the purpose of being inserted in the mariage register book of the Rev. John C. G. D. Blathwayt, a false statement to Marcus Thomas Jackman, the registrar of marriages at Romahapa, touching particulars required, to be known and registered under the provisions of ' The Marriage Act, 1903 ' —to wit, that her name was Percival Leonard Carol Redwood, and that her condition was 'bachelor.' " George Ottaway gave evidence. He had known "Mr P. C. Redwood" as a wealthy young man who had stayed at his boarding-house. Some time after she arrived, accused approached him, and asked him if he had any objections to her keeping company with and marrying his daughter. Witness told her that he would like to know what her position was first,, and whether "Redwood" would be able to give his daughter the good home she had been accustomed' to. Accused told him that her mother, residing at Hamilton, Waikato, would give £1500, and a house and furniture worth £1000, and that she had £1500 in her own right. -In consequence of what passed a marriage date was fixed between his daughter and accused for the 21st of April. The wedding duly took place at his house in the presence of a large number of guests. The ceremony was performed

by the Rev. Mr Blathwayt and the Rev. xur l>airymple. Marcus Thomas Jackman, registrar of births, marriages,* and deaths at JLtomahapa, said that on the Bth of March accused called on him, tilled iii the notice, and applied for a marriage license. He took her to be a man, and she was dressed as such. The particulars which, at accused's dictation,'he entered in the marriage notice book, and to which accused appended her signature, showed accused's assumed name, residence, profession, etc. The name given was "jfercival Leonard Carol Redwood," the condition "bachelor," aiid the occupation " sheep-farmer." He issued the certificate, and had no reason to suppose that accused was other than a man. The Rev. John Blathwayt, minister of the Church of England, residing at Balclutha, said that the first he heard of the case was when, early in March, he received a letter as follows from accused, asking him to perform the ceremony:—' Dear Mr Blathwayt,—l am to be married to Miss Ottaway either on the 21st or 25th April, and I would like you if possible to make it convenient to perform the ceremony. We shall be married from Mrs Ottaway's house, and the ceremony will be at 3 p.m. It may possibly be at the earlier date. You would come by rail to Romahapa, and be driven from there. I would like your reply as early as possible. I will let you know a little later what date is definitely settled on. ' * ' He replied that, were the necessary certificates produced he would perform the ceremony. Ho was asked if he had any objection to the Rev. MrDalrymple, Presbyterian minister, assisting him, as the latter was an old friend of the Ottaway family. Witness learned that his bishop offered no objection to the proposal, and advised "Mr Redwood" accordingly. He received a reply from the latter, containing the following;— "I have to thank his Lordship the Primate for his kind permission re the Rev. Dairymple assisting you at the marriage, and also yourself for the trouble you have gone to." On April 17th witness received another letter from accused, making final arrangements for the wedding. The letter ivas very cheerful, and expressed a hope that witness would be able to take part in the subsequent festivities. He was accordingly present, and assisted in performing the marriage ceremony. Witness produced his marriage register book, setting out particulas of the parties to the marriage. The book had been signed by the. accused in his presence and before witnesses. Detective Hunt stated that he had, the previous day, taxed accused with the offence referred to —false declaration,1 She said that she would plead guilty at the propel time. , "VENUS AND APOLLO." The third and last charge brought against Amy Bock was that she employed false pretences in obtaining £10 from B. S. Irwhi on the 15th April last. B. S. Irwin, solicitor, of Dunedin, giving evidence, said that he first met accused on the Ist of April, she being introduced to^him by a Mr Rayner as "Mr Redwood." He had some conversation with her, and she said she had lost some money while out in a boat, and she was very awkwardly placed, because her allowance would not be due until the 3rd May. She Avanted a temporary adr vance'until that time. He asked what the security would be, and he was told that accused had 1200 sheep on a station near Hamilton, in Auckland, and was entitled to certain money m " his" father's estate—which " he" had given into "his" mother's control. There were also horsas (including two cobs) on the station belonging to "him." One was called "Venus" and the other "Apollo.'; He told accused that they would make inquiries, and she said that she: had no money, at all, and- that; it was very awkward., His firm" then, having met her through Mr Rayner, gave her a cheque for £10. She said that these sheep and horses were her own, branded and earmarked., Search in the proper place failed to show that these brands, etc.. had been registered. She said that the sum she lost overboard was £300 or more, and that the sum she was to receive in May was some £6000. It was in consequence of these representations that the loan was made. ; To Mr Moore: Had a total strange! come into his office he would not hays made an advance. «His firm, however lost nothing —they had obtained safe security for the amount lent and the amount of a civil claim before the wedding took place. ' ' " She was introduced to you by Mr Rayner, was she not —Yes. And Mr Raynor is married to a daughter of Mrs Ottaway—that is, ho is a brother-in-law to accused -^(Laughter.) William Ottaway gave evidence similar to that given by him in connection with the first charge heard. Detective Hunt said he charged the accused the previous day with this offence, to which she replied: "I don't think you have any right to charge me with this. Mr Irwin has been paid, and I shall consult my solicitor before I say anything in the matter." Chief Detective Herbert f That is all the evidence, your Worship. Mr Moore: Accused pleads "Guilty" to each of the three charges. I have nothing to say. THANKS COUNSEL AND PRESS. Amy; Bock at this stage asked permission to speak. This being granted, sh« said she wished to thank Mr W. L. Moore, who had undertaken her case, and had given his fee to Miss Henderson. He had undertaken the work without any remuneration at all, for the sake of helping her and alleviating the punishment a little. She wished also to thank the public press for always remembering that she was a woman, in spite of all she had done. There would be no use in her expressing sorrow for ! what she had done, bepause no one would believe her. Accused then, apparently overcome by. emotion, hid her face in her hands. BAIL REFUSED. The accused was then committed to the Supreme Court for sentence on the three charges. Mr Moore applied for the granting of bail. Accused recognised her position, and that she had to suffer punishment. Instead of waiting in suspense in gaol sho was willing to go into a home and do anything until she was sentenced. She had been before the court on more than one occasion, and on every occasion but one she pleaded " Guilty," and never gave the police any bother after she had once been taken. Chief Detective Herbert said he hadno objections to bail being granted, as this was a bailable offence, but the responsibility lay with the magistrate. His private opinion was that bail might be granted. Mr Moore emphasised the fact that, accused, once she had been taken, had never given the police any trouble. Her past record indicated that she might be released on bail. His Worship referred to the general question of granting bail, and said that, in regard to the cases before him, he had given the subject very serious consideration, and he felt that he would not be acting in accordance with the direction and rulings of the judges of the Supremo Ccmrt if he granted bail in this case. Bail, therefore, was refused. —"Otago Times."