STRONG WORDS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 500, 6 May 1909, Page 5

STRONG WORDS.

A WOMAN AND HER CREDITORS

' LIVELY SOME AT , A MEETING. • • (81 I{,l.palUFH.-Br««Ult POUHPSVOND^NT.I -, . Auckland; May ?< ' A meeting of oreditors to-day resulted in a, lively scene and finally a resolution, was oar* ried instructing proceedings against the bankrupt for alleged perjury. Tho bankrupt «as Mrs. Annie Nicholson, storekeeper, of Whitianga,* Moroury Bay, and et a previous meeting sko admitted signing her husband's, name to an order, and stated that in,-fum]gi)tio.n of tho store, a large number of receipts wore turned, and thew receipts wore tho acoounta that y/oro now being claimed against her, In effect, 3ho allogod tha.t a numhor.of the prinoipal business fi.rm,s of the. bity had become awa,ro of her loss pf t&o. receipts, and were trymg to nwlco her pay over again! Two subsequent meetings were hold, but sho failed to attend, and - Qffi.cia.l Assignee declared, tha,t fsho 'attend tho next meeting under awost if neoossaiy, Mrs. Nicholson put in an ap- - pearanoa to-day. ' „ , Mr, Solwyn Mays represented the Orown Sohqtf>r, whose opinion in tb,e caso had been taken by the assignee at tie creditora' re- , quest. The opinion given by tho Oroun Solicitor wen that the record,!) digolqsed. reasonable grqunds for the proseqution of Mrs, Nicholson for alleged perjury , . Tho Deputy A?3ignoe (to Mr?. Nicholson) i Do you still say that the evidence gjyon by you before Mr. Gerard on March 25 is correct?— Yes, absolutely true. Mr. Mays; Do yon know that fpur charges of perjury are held up against you? Wo ■want you to clearly understand your posi--1 tion. Mrs., Nicholson, in great exqitqment, rose to her feet and exclaimed: ''You want mo to go ■ back on my oath, and I'm not going to stand It. You oan go on with your perjury chargos and anything else you like, you" lot of ecoundrels, you I" • * • -Mr. Mays? Take it calmly, madam, Wo i '' only wa.nfr to giyo you every ctyanco. , These pacific assurances, however, pnly ' added fuel tq t)|o flames of tho bankrupt's wrath, and, stamping hw foot, sho Borenined out: ''Hβ w«nta to suggest to mo to uithr draw' my oath tq protect those, scoundrels (the creditors). You lot of robbers, v you scoundrelly villains,"you! You know tho receipts for your rascally accounts have bean burned, and nqw you want to como on us, and'X won't'stand it, for you or anyone else. I won't'stand it, do you hoar, you robbers | How daro you suggest to 'mo to withdraw ,my oath! I know who I paid. I paid you i all, and - you v know tho receipts were paid; that I had to post the money on the steamer because I waa being robbed by the Auckland Post Office". I'vo been surrounded by robbers,! 'You can put me ia gaol. 1 don't ' pare—" The wo,man paused for breath.. Sho was plajnly becoming hysterical, when a olerk in ■ the assignee's office tried to induce her to resume her seat. "I won't budgo for any of you, ,, she fiercely told the creditors. "I see it .alj. You want me to withdraw my oath 50 as to ' gave your faces when yqu know I paid all 1 your accounts, every one of them, and now you'ro trying to rob mo again 1 ,, Mr. Gerard (Deputy Oif|oiqj Assignee): Sit down, Mra. Nicholson. 1 > Mrs. Nicholson: "I won't sit down; you can >'< sand mo to gaol for a "lifer" if you like, you and these scoundrels. I have Irish blood , in. my veins, and I won't stand it." • Mr. Mays:' Dq you still say ypu paid these ' fwcounts? , Mrs. Nicholson: Yen, I paid them, and if I r died this minute I paid them. If I have to go to gaol I don't earn, I did pay them, and these peoplo want to rob mo. I'll go t<l gaoj for my lifo before I will withdraw my oath. The Deputy Assignee (to tho creditors) i Is thore any lesolutlon m respect to this case? There 13 no doubt it should bo sifted to the bottom. , Tjiero aie charges mado h,ero against you, and the bankrupt has told you in yory strong language what she thinks of you, and it iVQUkI bo only allowing reflections, upon yourselves if you don't see tho matter Bottled. Mr, Mayas Wβ brought her here to give her evory chance to rotract those statements m a caliper moment, but slip doesn't do so. p Mr. Ferguspn (Burns and Cq,) moved that jn view of tho very unsatisfactory character of the bankrupt's evidencp Iho Oflicial Aspgpec ha inqtriioted to tako criminal pioceedinge against her for alleged perjury. Mr. Kondon (Abbott and Co.) seconded tho motion, which was oarned unanimously.