FETED BY TOWN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 64, 18 March 1943, Page 3

FETED BY TOWN

U.S.A. IMPOSTER XII-ENCED TO TWENTY YEARS Sydney, March 2. The name of Lieutenant John Doyie, of the UJB.A. Army, is forbidden in many of the “best” homes ci Dubbo, a wealthy pastoral town in western New South Wales. For two months Lieutenant Doyle was welcomed and feted in those same homes. Then he was found to be <m impostor—Private Jack Olsen, 25, absent without leave. At a U.S. courtmartial in Sydney last week Olsen was sentenced to 20 years’ gaol for nav ing represented himself as a Unite J States Army lieutenant, for ihciu, r..’.d having failed to pay for v.ccc.3 -odation. The court also ordered that he be ’ honourably discharged from tb.r rvice and forfeit all pay and allov. . cos. Olsen went A.W.L. last September. He met a girl from Dubbo, N.S.W., and in November went to Dubbo as Lieutenant John Doyle. He went to the best hotel and said that he had received a standing invitation from the narents of a Dubbo girl he had met in Manly to visit them, but he had forgotten the name. Olsen need not have bothered with exolanations. The American officer’s uniform was sufficient recommendation and he soon became the social lion of the town. He was entertained royally, and although not a handsome man he had a smart appearance, and was well-spoken and intelligent.

He joined the district’s drive to help the Austerity Loan and made a broadcast from a broadcasting station urging suonort for the loan. Among the people he met and became friendly with were Australia!) Service officers, and as part of the welcome he was taken on a visit to defence establishments in the district. When Olsen was at the zenith of his copularity and people were eager to have him as their guest. Detective J. A. Burke saw him in a s.reet one night and told him that he would like to have a word with him. Olsen moved off. Later the same night Detective Burke arrested him at the home of a Dubbo business man. He was afterwards handed over to the American authorities. A Dubbo resident said later that the town’s face was now rea. Olsen made no attempt to borrow monev. although it would have been rcadih* lent him. He hnd even refused an offer of a loan. His onlv default was failure to pay a fortnight’s bo~rd at the hotel where he stayed before being taken into the various homes.