£650,000—IF.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17224, 6 October 1927, Page 2

£650,000—1F.

AMAZING SUGGESTION IN LETTER. WOMAN'S MYTHICAL MILLIONS. In an amazing story related to the Lincoln magistrates, reference was made to a letter in which it was mentioned that £050,000 would be received by a woman provided that she had a child by a certain date. The central figure in the remarkable case is Louisa Johnson, 30, lady's companion, of Yarborough Road, Lincoln, who appeared on remand on a charge of forging entries in a Lincoln Savings Bank deposit book, purporting to show that payments amounting to nearly £4OO had been made to Mrs Playford, her elderly employer. At the previous hearing it was alleged that Johnson had represented that she was shortly coming into "millions of pounds." Four additional charges were now brought against her, one cf which was of obtaining £2OO by false pretences from Jonathan Yarty, a Lincoln tradesman. The latter, who lives in the house previously occupied by prisoner, gave evidence that he told the Chief Constable that at intervals during the last three years iiiss Johnson obtained about £2OO from him. He had known her for nine or ten years, and lent the money in consequence of documentary evidence purporting to show that she would inherit a large sum of money. Mr Yarty produced a batch of letters, and explained that he did not give a statement previously, as he

Did Not Wish to Prosecute. The first letter,, dated December 24, 1024, read: "My Dear Mr Varty,— Please forgive me for writing to you, but I thought it would be a great opportunity this evening to come and see you. On arriving home after seeing you. Mr 'P.' (evidently the late Mr Playford) did not go out, otherwise I was going to ask you a great favour. My sister has to go into a home for ilnal treatment, which would cost me £lO for one month, i have already got £5, and I would like to ask you if you would let me have a loan of £5 until March 28. I should be most grateful, Mr Varty, if you could do this little kindness for me, and would give it back on the day mentioned." The letter also gave details about the treatment to be given to Johnson's sister, and ended with the postscript: "I would come down to see you at the shop, but you know what these people are, and I cannot get a chance to gel out." Mr Varty added that Miss Johnson showed him letters, typewritten, and signed, "Maurice Moseley, solicitor," and '"Harold Ellwell, solicitor," all purporting to show that Miss Johnson would inherit a large sum of money shortly. "One letter," remarked Mr Varty, "mentioned £050,000, which Johnson would receive on condition that she had a child, but if there was no child before May, 1925, the moneywould go to the Crown. A magistrate: Did you believe that letter? Mi- Varty: No. I knew then that it was a forgery, and I told her so. She admitted it. Mr Varty added that someone purporting to come from Mr Eliweli called on him and substantiated these statements. Witness believed that if two men, whose names he had furnished to the police, would come forward the matter would be cleared up. .Mr Altale, prosecuting,, intimated that he would be able to prove that Johnson wrote the letters, which she sent to a typist in London, who typed them and returned them with the originals to prisoner. Prisoner was again remanded in custody.