TALE OF MILLIONS.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17242, 29 October 1927, Page 14 (Supplement)

TALE OF MILLIONS.

BOGUS LETTERS FROM SOLICITORS

A “MASTER MIND” SUGGESTED. Hundreds of millions were referred to in the Sessions Court at Lincoln, England, when the hearing was continued of the Lincoln “Mythical Millions" case.

The accused, Louisa Johnson, aged 33, of Lincoln, is charged with obtaining more than £f)O(J by forgery and false pretences from Mrs Ulayford, aged 76, and her sister, Miss Martha Gatford, aged 72, who live in Yarborough Road, Lincoln, and by whom Johnson was employed as companion. There are also charges of obtaining goods from local tradesmen J>Y false pretences and of obtaining £2OO by false pretences from Jonathan Vurty, u Lincoln grocer. The two elderly women gave evidence at their home. The allegation is that Johnson failed to pay their money into the Lincoln Savings Bank and forged entries in Llieir bank books.

Miss Mabel Pearce, a typist of Lanark Villa, Maida Vale, identified a number of letters which she had typed for a client named L. Johnson. A “P.S.” to a letter asking her to type the letters said: “Would you please type private letter on this hotel notepaper." A quanlity of hotel notepaper was enclosed.

“Simply Tremendous.” The draft of one letter typed and sent to Johnson staled: Hotel, isle of Wight. “Mr Hall will no doubt have told you we have urgent business here in the isle of Wight, the property of the ialo Mrs Madge Wright, George and Bert. I don’t know at present, but I am much afraid it will lake 10 days more to settle up here.” “The property and everything is simply tremendous. The cash in Hie banks amounts to twenty-seven millions. Will complete the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, so that with kind treatment we shall complete the whole by next August.” Mr If. S. Jackson (defending) : Do you make a point of typing unusual letters of this kind?—lt seemed unusual. In one letter 270 millions is mentioned?—Yes.

Some letters also purport to .cornc from solicitors. Do you think you were justified in typing thorn? —1 should not have been bad I not taken precautions.

Miss Pearce explained that she informed the police at Paddington, am! the Criminal Investigation Department look Hie matter in hand. Sire followed their instructions.

Coming into a Fortune,

Mr Jonathan Varty, of Yarborough j Road, stated that he lent Johnson vari- j jSj ous sums amounting to £2OO, believ- | j| ing she was coming into a fortune. I ji| She handed him about 30 letters. One, j w purporting to have been received from §v a firm of solicitors in London, read: — ;j| “There is a certain amount of money * 1 apart from what you already know 1 p about in the bank, and if you have a j £ child, either hoy or girl, it is to be paid | at birth to you. It is a vast fortune, | about £650,000, and the house where | the furniture is stored is yours already. (0 Should you not have a child, it goes fc to tfie Crown in two years after May 19, 1925. Mr Leslie Treadgoid Ihought of this and wanted you for g this purpose so that ho could get' the |r money.” It Another letter read: “There is just ! jj»| over two millions ready for your sig- i| nature, so you must prepare for this j $ on Friday week. . . . We have discov- j !j| ered that the Bubwood estate in Chan- i p eery is yours. It amounts lo three { sj hundred millions." i IS

To Ee Married this Month. A letter which purported to give a summary ol' the assets of the late George Wright stated: “Gross income since date of testator’s death, seven hundred and twelve millions, left unconditionally to Miss Johnson, Station Road, Bardney, Lincoln. . . The above only applies to the money that was left in some oil shares. Amount invested, eight hundred millions. Estimated value of assets not less than £29,000,000; in the hands of solicitors for life interest, nine millions.” Other letters referred to a legacy of 592 millions, including interests in gold’ mines and Indian tea plantations. Mr Varty said that when he accused Johnson of being a fraud she admitted she was. He (Mr Varty) suggested there was a master mind in the case who ought to be dealt with. “Johnson has a young man friend in London,” he added.

Questioned by Mr Jackson, Mr Varty said be knew Johnson was to have been married this month. He had seen Gaptain Dorien, whom at one lime, he thought, Johnson had. married. Ilis proper name was Ford. “This is the man,” he acldp d, “she was to have married.” Detective-Sergeant J. Birkin stated that Johnson signed a statement which said: “I have been at Mrs Playford’s for about 10 years and during the past years I have had no money as wages at all. I have helped to keep the house going. I have paid the maid ever since she got one* When Mr Piayford was alive I'did just the same.” On searching Johnson’s bedroom tho detective stated that he found three books. One was called “The Complete Letter Writer," another “Tho Gentleman’s Model Letter Writer,” and tho third “The Gentleman’s Love Letter Writer.” In one of the hooks he found a paragraph offering condolences to a bereaved person which corresponded with a paragraph in one of Johnson’s typewritten letters. Johnson, who reserved her defence, was committed for trial on all charges.