MAN'S HEARTLESS FRAUD ON WIDOW

Chronicle (Levin), 5 November 1947, Page 5

MAN'S HEARTLESS FRAUD ON WIDOW

WANGANUI, Nov, 4. "There is no doubt that you have been guiity of a most heartlea fraud on this widow with iive young children.

The elfect is that she has been left with a bill of sale for £30, has lost her wedding ring and lawnmower and part Qt the money you received as the prbceeds of the sale of a sewing machine. It was a disastrous association as far as sne was eoncerned. " So said the Magistrate, Mr. J. H. Salmon, to Francis Elias Lloyd, timber vvorker, aged 47, when he was sentenced today to a totai of 12 montlis' imprisonment. Lioyd pleaded guiity to four charges involvxng theft and intent to defraud at Auckland. One of the charges was * ' that on August 11 at Auckland with intent to defraud, he obtained from Gertrude Eva Wassell, ^7 10s by falsely representing that he wlas a witness for Mrs. Haskeli, charged with murder, and that the police required the money as a bond. " The police said aecused replied to an Auckland matrimonial advertisement and began to board with Mrs. Wasseti who was a widow with five young children. He was already separated from his own wife and ten children. Detailing the olfenees the police said Lloyd told Xlrs. Wassell a paek of lies and she had been left with a bill of sale over the furniture and no lawnmower, sewing machine or wedding ring. He had been interviewed during the Rusden murder inquiries but was not required as a witness. Lloyd had now come to Wanganui where he was living with a woman friend.