MAY HALLET AGAIN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1255, 11 October 1911, Page 3

MAY HALLET AGAIN.

CHARGE OF FALSE FRETEXCES. The Loudon papers received by tho last mail report tlmt Mrs. Ethel Campbell, better known as May Hallet, was charged with having obtained .£l5O by i'also and fraudulent prctcnecs from Mrs. Mary Elizabeth I'oote, of Whanpirei (Auckland). The case was heard by Mr. I'lowden,' tho Maryleboue Stipendiary Magistrate. Mrs. i'oote's ease, he remarked, rested upon very insecure foundations— the memory of threo ladies of three conversations "that took place on board ship weeks ago. In his opinion one version was just as natural and probable as the other. The wholo question was whether when tho prisoner obtained the money she meant to repay it, and ho thought, though with great hesitation, that he ought to leave that to l;o decided by a jury. Mrs. Campbell's cvidencc was practically a direct contradiction of Mrs. Foote's in most of the material details. Examined by her solicitor, Mrs. Campbell said her husband, Donald Samuel Campbell, formerly a purser on board ship, left the sea and came with licr to England to see about her affairs at Horley. They joined the boat on April 13, and during the journey they made the acquaintance of Mrs. f'oate "and her daughter, and became on friendly terms. She denied that she told Mrs. l'ooto that li'or father was Sir' Richard Hunter, formerly Lord Chief Justice of England. What she said was that her father was Mr. Hallet, who was a Justice, meaning that he was a J.!', for Reigate. Mr. l'lowden: A Justice! not Lord Chief Justice, of England. What a tremendous drop! Mrs. Campbell said she told Mrs. Foote that she was going to England to take over property—the Orchard and Mayfiold at Horley, On arriving in England sic entertained Mrs. and Miss Foote at a London hotel. That was on May 31, and they were then on the frundlirst terms. She then went to stay at Brighton. On June 11, when she returned to the hotel from a motor drive with Mrs. and Miss Foote, they all went into the witness's room, and she discovered that her property had been ransacked, and jewellery to the value of Xl5O stolen. The following day she reported her loss at Scotland Yard. On June 14 she called upon Mrs. Fonte at Hampstoad, and asked for help. She asked, in fact, whether Mrs. Foote would lend her some money to pay her hotel bill at liriglilflii. Mrs." Foote had her son, Dr. P. L. Foote, rung up on the telephone, aud ho arrived later in the day. Mrs. Campbell denied that she told them tliat there had been a second robbery at the hotel, and that she had lost the rest of her jewellery and .6150 in money. Sho did not oli'er a motor-car as security. The receipt for tho ,Cl. r >Q was given at her suggestion. She denied that she had received ,£IOOO from New Zealand.. All that she received amounted to between .£3OO ami J-100. She came to England expecting to receive more, as sho believed she was entitled to property under her father's will, or that of her great uncle. 'Defendant was committed for trial at tho North London Sessions, bail being allowed in one surety of .£'so or two of A subsequent cablegram announced that defendant was sentenced to seven months' imprisonment.