PHANTOM FORTUNE

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 19515, 2 March 1935, Page 14 (Supplement)

PHANTOM FORTUNE

Baseless Story of a £30,000,000 Fortune. Tram Driver Acquitted on False Pretences Charge. . ..

Public attention was drawn to the fact that the story of a so-called fortune had no actual foundation when a tram-driver who was- alleged to have carried on fraud was acquitted at Yarmouth Quarter Sessions. Referring to the phantom estate which was alleged to he worth £30,000,000 the Recorder, Mr W. Rowley Elliston, said: “ It is only right that the public should know* that this story of the Maques millions’ is baseless." In discharging the tram-driver, Ernest Ilenry Rogers, 46, the Recorder told him he iiad escaped “ by the skin of his teeth.”

him a lump sum to settle the case, but he refused to accept it as it was not sufficient, and lie was fighting the case oil his own.

Rant declared he received from Rogers a bond for the payment of £SOO when his claim was successful in consideration for the kindness he, Rant, had shown him and his family. Rogers showed him a will of his mother, who, he declared, was IHo last descendant of Mr. Jaques.

In the will Rogers’ mother bequeathed her estate, money, property, capital, stocks, and bonds left by her late father, John Jaques, to three persons, of whom Rogers was- one. Rant said he believed all this to be true. He advanced £3B to Rogers to buy a second-hand motor-car to travel about getting information. “Derelict” Chancery Funds. Mr Frank Arnold Keith, a clerk in the Supreme Court Pay Office, gave evidence that he had searched the books but found no trace -of any “Jaques millions.” Cross-examined, be mentioned that there w-as -over a million pounds in Chancery which had not been claimed. Some of it he' described as absolutely derelict. Rogers had written to his, Mr Keith’s office regarding a claim, lie replied that the persons ho named in his letter had no relation to a Charles Jaques whose money was being disposed of. Extracts read by Mr Howard from what he stated was Rogers’ “ Life Story ” of 51 typewritten pages found •with oilier papers in his home referred t'o:

All the documents produced at the hearing of the case were ordered to be retained pending further orders. Rogers was charged with obtaining £9O and goods to the value of nearly £23 by false pretences at Gorleston from Mr Harold Edward Rant, a Gorleston grocer. Money Advanced as “ Gifts.” Mr Gerald Howard, prosecuting, declared at' the outset that the ••Jaques millions" were mythical: He went on to say that last year Rogers signed a document in the presence of a police inspector at Stowmarket undertaking he would not attempt to raise any money on his supposed claim to this estate, and also wrote an admission that he had been told such a fund did not exist. ■Rant gave evidence that he first knew Rogers last January and supplied him with goods. After March, he said, he began advancing money, which he described as gifts. This led Mr Howard to ask permission to treat Rant as a hostile witness.

“ Threats, to shoot, haunted houses, bars of gold found under the old but, scraping tombstones at midnight, spade guineas hidden up the old chimney.”

The Recbrder warned Rant to give direct answers, and told him if he did not tell the truth he might be charged with perjury. Rant, in further evidence, said Rogers told him a case had been going on for eleven years regarding the estate, and a decision was to he given in October.

Tiie Recorder advised flic jury lo return a verdict of "Not guilty” nil the ground that Rant did not consider lie had been deceived.

He added, that lie had not stopped the case sooner as lie thought I lie story should bo told in court. In discharging Rogers lie advised him to get some proper work.

Rogers stated he had seen Sir John Simon, and ’Barclays Bank had offered