AMY MAUD BOCK.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 502, 8 May 1909, Page 6

AMY MAUD BOCK.

FURTHER CHARGES. THc STORY OF A LOST POCKET-BOOK. THE; MARRIAGE DECLARATION. " ■ • I (BI TmBOBiPH—HIESS ASSOCIATIOH.) ' Dunedln,' May .7. ; Kiero was anothor largo assembly, at the Police this morning,: when Amy.'Maud Bock was further charged with obtaining, on February 20 last, £41 from . Margaret Henderson, by means of false pretence. Mr. 'J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., presided, v ' Chief-Dotcctivo Herbert explained that accused 'was a : singlo woman, as far. as the polico know..; Id- January last. she .called at a boardinghouse, : kept by Mrs. Butcher, at Cork Place, and was received there as a : unalo boarder. She -stay«l for .some time, ! off and on, and'paid he.<;bbard during the time: she was there.: After some weoka sho frcnt to the Nuggets, whero sho remained ... for a considerable timo. ■ -i \ , • , A Fish and a Pockot-Book., On the idate .of thd : alleged, offence, 'she jreturned to tho boardinghouso .in Dunedin, ' und- saw Mrs. Butcher's sister, Miss Henderson, to. whom sho told a story about a loss''.she had at Nuggets.. She' said she had : boon out fishing-,in,a boat with William Ottaway,'and they wore hauling in:, a lai]go proper, when'her rowlock caught in tho lining 'of - her • coat, -. with tho result that her pocket-hook dropped into the - sea: She Baid it contained 1 a: £50 cheque, an 1.0. U. for £60, which she lent to a man at -Hanmor, and : 'a -large' number of - sovereigns. She edded that sho had come to town to got a idiver from Port Chalmers to go to the Nug- , gets to find the pocket-book. She hrft the : botuso -for the purposo of getting tho diver, Bho ;said, and roturncd an hour .or two later, stating' that: she had- got one, who would not go down for less than £50, down '«n the nail. She asked Miss Henderson if she could lend her the amount. Miss Hortidcrson ropliod that she had not so much, but ..would lend , her- all 'she had. .■ She jtvent to the Post Ofßoo Savings Bank in a cab winch accusod-had waiting, and on those : representations drow: £41, all the money sho tad, and gavo it to accused. Later, she j Trent away with the money, and Miss' Hen; ' Herson'had never' icccivcd the-money back, (or any part of it. On,tho:contrary,'oho had Bpent other money ■on ~ acouaed'a account. , Ottaway would tell , tho Court ..that he was'at the Nuggets all .the time accused ■was there j that sho never lost a- pocketbook ; - that sho never made complaint about -losing one;-that'she was never out • in a boat fishing, with him, and sho never liielpcd to pull up a .gxoper. V Attired in Man's Clothing. . JEss'Margaret Hondorson said she remom- ' ?6ored accused coming to hor sister's board'ingionso in * Cork Place about January 11. fiho- 6aw, accused on. . January 13. Ar-uiied • was then attired in men's' clothing. .Witness looked upon her.as a:man; and always called 4ter tMr; Redwood, r. Accused . bad 'a-dress ./ basket'in.hcri bedroom.. basket, accused :■ gaid,""contained/part of-tho clothing-,of herianirt, who stayed.at the Nuggeis., -.Accused left oil Januaory -27 for Nuggets. ■ She , ro- ' turned on February,23, and told witne6B;af' : ®>e serious toss of her pockeWxxA whilst out in a .fishing'boat'with young Mr. Ottaway. - IWitness then corroborated Chief-Dotective Herbert's opening regarding aocusod's. stoiy : eoDcerning the IoGS of the pocket-boolc. Ac--y jcused first'asked: witness's sister for a loan : of money, but i was not accommodated, and • then she asked , witness,' who 'said she could v not'give her £50, but-would give all, she . - had. Accuscd said; the money would be paid' : back on March 3. Accuscd told witness that her ntotßor lived at Hamilton, in tho ■■■■.. Waikato. Such' statements induced witness to lend the money. <: To' Mr. fMooro (wfcoi-appeared for aoeußed)w ■ Witness, could not "say positively thatad- ■ cuscd told : hor sho was out in a boat with Willio Ottaway, hut), witness, thought - oc- • cuscd did give that name. On the day . the money was lent witness did not say sho would, . i givoJ accnsed : three-months or six months to pay the loan back. 'Witness, in reply to a lofior .from the accused, stating that : she would rive accused three, six; or twelve , : months until sucb timo as-she could pay the ■ money back. ' To Mr. Herbert: Hio reason wiy witnoss : gavo accused that time to repay tho money was beoauso accuscd said sho wanted to give her next allowance towards buying out Mrs. , Ottaway, -so that -witness's sister could take over the business, v • ..At Nuggets. 'TOm. Ottaway; fisherman; said'aocused ar- ' Ssved at tbar house at Nuggcta on January g7.' Sho was/dressed in male attire, 'and glassed as Mr. Rodwood. She never went out in a fighrrig boat with him. She was not oat .fishing with anybody,:to his knowlodge. Ho ' ". ■ never.-.hoard ■ anything: from ■ her.about losing , o pocket-book , and a large sum of nxmoy. :: ■■ lAccuscd bcoanio engaged to has,aster . and 1 • : "went through tho form of marriage with hor. i "He .noTOr at any time; lead any suspidon- that (sho was a woman.; Dotectivo Hunt, who arrested 1 accused, Said , that ..when charged ; with. this offenoo siccused replied: "I will plead guilty at tho . fropor'timo.""' -. • 1 ■' - Mr. Mooro: Accusod pleads not guilty, and deserves her.deforce. .;. . ■ ' , . : Chief -Detoctrye 'Herberti - Owing to ' Hie ssurpriso. Mr. Moore has sprung on us''this ; pnorning, I, ask permission for other cases ■to be heard before calliig on accused to gilead. : t Mr. ,Moore: I have no objection to other leases'-being heard before wo take tho plea. \ Tlw Wedding ceremony. 'Accused was further chargcd that on JMarch 8, at: Romahapa, : sho (lid* wilfully jnake, for purpo3ea of being inserted in'tho marnago register book of tho Rov. Mr. BLathi wayt, a:: ..'false ... statement. ,to . Marcus i Thomas Jackson, Registrar of Marriages at Uomahapa-touohing particulars required to •be known and registered under tho provi- , «ions of :tho Marriage Act, ' 1908,.- to • wit; that hor namo was Porcival Leonard Carol •: Jledwood,. and :■ that i ■■■ her condition'.; was "bacholor." v Gcorgo Ottaway, residing at Nuggets, said he renfemberedi accnsed coming- to his boardinghouse' about January 27,'whero sho ' remained off ■ and on ; until April 25. Wit- . ness. know accusod as P. C. Redwood, who • wore - men's .clothing. Witness know her as . a .wealthy _ man.. Accused. asked him if ■he had objections to her keeping company .with ;.and. marrying his daughter.'-. .Witness. said he would Hko to know her position regard- , ing ability to keep his daughter, who had always had a good home. Accused said sho had written to' her mother,: and. would have a reply in a day or two. - Accused also told' him that hor. mother had £1500 of her money, and in addition to that amount 6ho (accused)' had anothor £1500 invested in ono: of her uncle's/farms in tho • Waikato; She told him hor mother gavo all : hor sons a v house and furniture to tho valuo of about : £ICOO. Mr.. Mooro contended that, all these particulars wero unnccMsary. Accused was simply charged with 'making a falso' statement that hor namo was Porcival Redwood, tinrt that sho was" a bachelor.' Continuing, witnes?-.said. that'tho mar-' tiage was fixed for April 21. A large number of guests were inyited acd the wedding took place at his house. Evidcnco ot Registrar and Clergyman. Marcus Jackron, Registrar of Births, Marriages, and Deaths at'Romahapa, said cn March 8 accusod callcd at his store and filled in. the marriage' notice, and applied, for » marriage liconse. AH the necesairy conditions were read' to accused, who Alpphed certain particulars, which wpre recorded in' the mwriago notice-book. ■ Aociiscd .signed the notice of the marriage in the book. Wit- ; ness issued a certificate of marriage to accused, who paid foos (£1 25.. 6d.). Witness was deceived into tho belief that accused was a man. Tho Rov. J. C. Blathwayt gave ovidonco B8 to receiving a letter from accusod asking him to: officiato at the marriage poremony. Witness consented to do so; and officiated at the wedding, along with the Rev. Ur. 'Dalrymple. ,-. .: Dotectivo Hunt said that, when charged - gesterdas* accused jsaid^^

"Tho Old, Old Story." i Accused was next charged-with obtaining on April 15 £10 from B. S. Irwin by means of a false pretonco. Chiof Dotcctivo Herbert: The false protenoe we rely on in this casre is the old, old story about sheep, cattle, land, w"ealth, and all tho rest of it. , . , Burroughs Stokes Irwin, barrister, of Dmiedin; Baid he first met accused on April 1. He was introduced to her by Mr. Itaynor, who gave her name as Mr. Redwood. lOn April 15 accused said sho .had, lost some money whilst out in a. boat,'.whioh loss was awkward because bor allowance would not bo duo till May 3. She wanted a temporary advance. Witness asked about security, , and acoused said she had 1200. sheep on: an estate in the Waikato.'. Accuscd said each of her father's sons had received £1500 on attaining his majority, and she' had given £1500 to hor--mother to put into business. There wore also horses and a trap mentioned, and a pair of oobs. Ho told her he would have to make inquiries before lending tho money. She said thai it-was:unfortunate-as she was ■going to the train to meet Mrs. and Miss Ottaway, and she. was in a bit of a fix through losing the. money.; Seeing die -had .been 'introduced by Mr. Raynor, he gavo her a cheque for £10. She gave particulars of the brands and earmarks of sheep. A search at the proper place failed to find tho marks, registered. She said she had £300 or more from fishing-boat money she, was to receive from her, family on May 3. She said Bho would come into £6000. She called again the same day and asked if a mortgage oould be fired up. He said, "No," and she replied she •would make arrangements elsewhere.-Orosa-examined: The £10.and a civil claim for a large amount on behalf of his client had been recovered, and neither witness nor his olient was losing sixpence. Mr. Raynor was married to Miss Ottaway. • Detective Hunt said when he charged accused yesterday she replied: "I don't think you have-any right to (iarge'me with this Mr. Irwin-has bron mid, and I shall consult my solicitor, before 1 say anything in tho matter." ■■- •• ; Accused Pleads Guilty. On being -asked to-plead, Mr. Moore said accused would plead guilty to the . three charges. • • • Aocusod said: I wish to say a word. : I wish to thank Mr. Moore, who has undertaken this case and has given Ms fee to Miss Hondorson. He has undertaken it without any remuneration whatever, and for the purpose of helping.me and alleviating the pnnishment;a. lrfctle. ■ I have also to thank tho publio press for always remembering that I was a woman in spito of all I have done. •There is no use expressing my regret, -be■causo I would not bo believed. , Accused was then committed to the Supremo '.Court-.for sentence on tho three charges. - ..Mr. Moore applied for tho granting of bail. Accused rerognised her position,-and that sho had to snffer-punishment." Instead .of waiting in suspense,in gaol sho was willing to go into a home to do anything until she was sentoncod. She 'had been before : tho Court on more than, one occasion, and on every occasion bTrt ono 6ho pleaded guilty and never gave the police any bother after she had onceboen, taken. ' ". ■ 'Chief Deitectms Herbert:\That is so. He had 'Kail being granted,- but the responsibility lay with tie Magistrate. ■ ; ; '-His ~Worship said he did not think ho would be acting in accordance with the directions and rulings of tie Supreme Court if bo gnrated bail. Bail.would be refused.