RACEHORSE DEAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 227, 27 September 1935, Page 8

RACEHORSE DEAL

MONEY FOR HORSES FALSE PRETENCES CHARGE WELLINGTON, Sept. 26. Police allegations against Marcus Jackson, a salesman, aged 38, in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, involved the obtaining of a large sum of money from a clerk, now serving imprisonment for theft from his employers, by posing as a jockey and persuading him to give the money for racehorse transactions. He pleaded not guilty. Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., was on the Bench, Detective-Sergeant L. Revell conducted the prosecution, and the accused was represented by Mr. R. Hardie Boys. The charge against Jackson was that between April 15 and July 19 he obtained £2lO from George Diack by representing that he was Tommy Green, a licensed jockey and that he was entering business as a racehorse trainer, and that he had arranged to buy two horses named Moss Vale and Bronze Lady for Diack, and needed the money to pay for and feed and stable the ho: scs. Desmond Molesworth, a postil official in Wellington, produced seven telegrams dated from May 13 to May 25, sent from Frankton and Hamilton to “G. Diack, care of Smith and Smith, Ltd by “Tom Smith.” He also produced nine money-order telegrams dated from May 14 to July 19, 1935. Thev were all sent from Wellington by G. Diack to “Tom Smith,” at Frankton Junction, Newmarket, and Hastings. “In the Cart’’ George Diack said that up to the end of July he was a clerk employed by Smith, and Smith, Ltd. He was arrested cn July 30 for stealing money from the firm, and subsequently sentenced. The accused came to witness’ office in April and introduced himself, saying that he was Tommy Green, the jockey, and said he understood the witness was interested in racing and had been successful in it. He told the accused he had not been successful with racing; in fact, he was “in the cart” through it. The accused assured him that he could get him out of it, and said that he anticipated commencing tiain : ng, with headquarters at Trentham. He said he had been promised two horses, and could arrange to buy one for witness; he could have the horse ready for the Thames meeting the following month. Witness told him that he was not in a position to buy the horse at once, and the accused said if he could raise about £5O for a deposit he would call back later in the afternoon. Jackson said he anticipated that he could have the race “set.” There would be a fairly decent stake and a satisfactory dividend, and that if witness did not want to keep the horse he would dispose of it for him. Tommy Green was a well-known jockey, continued Diack. By the time the accused returned that afternoon the witness had obtained £47. Jackson, who did not give him a receipt for the money, said the horse could run under its present nomination for the Thames meeting. He said he would leave for Frankton that afternoon to ensure purchase; he would train the horse, and it would be kept, in the stables of the owner of Astarth. All money should be sent to the Frankton Post Office, and the witness was instructed to use “Tom Smith,” or “Green,” preferably “Smith.’’ In the course of conversation in the morning witness gathered that the price of the horse would be about £l5O. Not a Starter Within nine or ten days after his leaving Wellington The accused telephoned witness and-told him that the name of the horse was Moss Vale, and that that morning it had injured itself in a gallop and would not be a starter at the Thames meeting. Jackson said the horse could still be kept at the same stables, and he would start training it in the early spring for the Trial Plate at Trentham. Witness later met the accused in Wellington, and told him that it had been hinted that he was not Tommy Green. Jackson produced an application for renewal of ft jockey’s licence- It was signed “Green.” Diack said he told Jackson he had not improved his financial position at all—he had sent various sums’to him—and the aceu-e l said that had been because of the injury to the horse. The accused said there was another horse offering, however, and the witness decided to buy it, paying Jackson £25 nt that time. The name of the horse wa? Bronze Lady, by Bronze Eagle out of Lady Robinson. Between June 1 and July 19 he sent Jackson £BO, which was for the balance of the purchase money for Bronze Lady and for the upkeep of Mess Vale and Bronze Lao* When Jackson visited Wellington on June 13 he told witness that he had bonghi the horses and wanted money for the upkeep. Hp asked for £35, but witness gave him £l5, and sent another £2O by money order telegram cn June 19. Tr all. paid Jackson £2lO, believing him all the time to be Green, the jockey. After further evidence had been heara, f.i r accused was committed for trial