Accused Details Interviews With Police

Chronicle (Levin), 6 November 1947, Page 5

Accused Details Interviews With Police

Press Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, Nov. 6. The story of what transpired at an intervlew at the Reserve Bank when ' Detective-Sergeant Hogan and Sergeant Colclough were present was told in detail by Peter Edward Millett, 24, clerk, wnen his trial entered the.eighth day m the, Supreme Court today. Millett is charged with forgery, the uttering of forged documents and theft. Accused said he had denied to them that he had posted a letter to the bank, and if his fingerprints were found on the envelope he did not know how they came to be there. He persistently denied to the police officers that he had any part in the ioss of the stock certificates. He refused a police •invitation to "confess to the crime." A bank officer had confirmed to the police accused's statement that the making out of an indgx card was part of accused's, duties. On August 29 he was taken to the detective office by DetectiveSergeant Callaghan, continue'd accused. Senior-Detective Compton told him then that they had all the necessary evidence, and knew that accused had "done it," and he might as well confess. When the senior-detective left the room, Detective-Sergeant Callaghan came in "roaring and asking me what I had done with the stock certificates." Accused told him he had had nothing to do with it. Senior-Detective Compton had subsequently called accused a liar, saying that he was justified as he had evidence to prove it, continued Millett. Detective-Sergeant Callaghan told him that the penalty for forgery was life imprisonment : now would he tell them what had happened to the stock certificates? Accused again protested that he knew nothing of them, and he was left for a few minutes. Then Detective - Sergeant Callaghan rushed in and said "Now what about it, Millett?" "Sometimes I was P.eter and sometimes Millett," said accused. "He 'was quiet at times and yelling the next minute." He was arrested that afternoon. At the courthouse next morning DetectiveSergeant Callaghan had said to him: "Well, Millett, tell us where the bonds are and we will charge you with theft and the forgery charge will be dropped." Accused then proceeded to detail his duties in the transfer section at the bank.