UNHAPPY EXPERIENCE

Chronicle (Levin), 7 August 1947, Page 6

UNHAPPY EXPERIENCE

ELDERLY MAN WHO LOOKED FOR WIFE AUCKLAND, August 6. An elderly inan's unhappy expenences with a matrimonial agency were recounted in the Supreme Court at the L'ial of Dorothy Carter, aged 43 (-Mr. Dickson) on a charge of obtaining £301) and an engagement ring valued at £65 by false pretences. The trial was condueted by Mr. Justice'Callan and Mr. G. S. R. Meredith prosecuted for the Crown. The specific charge was that on June 3, with intent to defraud, accused odtained £300 and an engagement nng from Joseph Fridolin Gabriel by falsely pretending that she was free to marry him and, that she required a £300 deposit on a house she was about to buy at Otahuhu. ^ Mr. Meredith said tlie complainant, Gabriel, was a man aged 59 worldng at the hydro-electric works at Mangakino. In answer to an advertisement he paicl £2 2s to join "Miss Stainton's Social Club" and he received a letter from "Miss Stainton" who turned out to be Mrs. Carter. . The letter offered to him a Mrs. Ball, a nurse, as a matrimoniai prospect but on two occasions Gabriel failed to find Mrs. Ball at the time and place appointed. On June 2 he' met "Miss Stainton" at Mercer and she told him she was free to marry him and would do so. He was foolish enough to show lier his Hamilton Post Oflice -Savings Bank *book in which lie had a credit of about £1600. Next day in Hamilton, with her, he drevv out £350 and gave accused £300 and bought her an engagement ring for £65. Gabriel later became worried and went to the poiiee with the result fliat Senior Detective Aplin iiiterviewed accused at Ramarama on July S. She said Gabriel knew she was a married woman. She had been living apart from her husband for liearly three years and lntended to get a divorce at the end oi that time. The £300 was a loan from ■ Gabriel to pav off soineCdebts she had. Complainant, in evidence, said he was born in Switzerlaud and canie to New Zealand in 1910. When he first met accused at Mercer on May 31, she aslced him what tvpe of woman he wanted — a short fat one or a long thin one. He told her something like her would do all right. She said she was a free woman and would marry him but could not do so bcfore next January. She was then to get money from her deceased fatlier's estate but could not get it if she was married. Witness met accused next day in Hamilton and withdrew £350 from his savings bank account, He gave accused £300 anu bought her an engagement ring for £65. The ring produced had been damageu. Accused gave him a promissory note for £320, promising repavment in 11 months and including £20 for interest. l\Ir. Meredith road a number of love letters which witness acknowledged having received from accused. In answer to Mr. Dickson witness said he lia'd got the ring back and had been told he was getting a cheque for £300. Ile adniitted writiug that lie wanted to flifirry a youqg , woman and that if the Woman* was betvt eeii 40 and 50 she inust have her ovvn freenold home or £500 in the bank. He had written to accused about their prospects of a lionie together on a-farin. After he had complained to the police he pro posed a trial marriage. Ile denied writing letters to trap accused. Senior' Detective Aplin described an interview with accused in which she said there was 110 person of tlie nanie of I). Ball and that she had written to Gabriel under that nanie. She had 111tended to marry him after she got her divorce. No evidence was called for the defence. Mr. Dickson said the parties had put their true position in writing and there was not one word to say that accused was free to marry or that she was borrowing this money tor the purpose of buying a property. She had olfered Gabriel liis money back before the due date. His Honour said that if the jurv were satisfied accused had told Gabriel lies and that they were the cause of 1ns lending her tlie £300, then they would convict her. The offer to repay the £300 was quite imniaterial. The jurv returned after threequafters of an hour to find accused guilty and she was remanded for sentence.