ALLEGED BLACKMAIL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1403, 1 April 1912, Page 4

ALLEGED BLACKMAIL.

"AN INTOLERABLE NUISANCE."! (By Telcerainh.— Special Correspondent.) Auckland, Mnrcli 31. On Wednesday last, a woman named Francis Wilson, aliiis Coyne, was convicted of several charges in connection, willi keopini: a disorderly house in Federal Street. Her husband, "Ginger" Wilson, was sentenced to imprisonment on similar charges, She imd Wilson's mother wera let off with lines or' i:lO mid .£5 respectively, and sho was also prohibited. The women w«ro allowed a week in which hi find Hie money. Two days later a married man of some standing in the city complained to the police of what he alleged was an attempt, not by any meant the first, on the part of a woman to screw money out of him by holding over his head 'certain letters. The direct result was that he yesterday kept an apn mitment demanded by the woman, but had 1 in his company Deto:t.ive-Sergeant M'Mahon. The sequel was that Hie woman Franco* Wilson, used H9 years, appeared in Court this morning charged with breaches of her prohibition order, and with being, a. rogue and vagabond in that sho had insufficient lawful means of support. (niof Detective, Alnhsack, in outlining thp ease, remarked that it was not intended to make any charge of blackmail, as tho man, involved was a citizen of prominent position, and l» proceed with, such a charge would bring about the purpose intended by accised. The object, he said, of the piwent prosecution was to put an end to an intolerable nuisance which 11 respectable, man Imd been subjected to. lhe woman had been prohibited on Wednesday, and when she was .-(nested by Detective M'Mahon yesterday sho was under the inllMcuce of liquor, and a small bottle of whi*lic imd been found on her. The accused, wlio w.is replanted by Air. Singer, pleaded "guilty" to the breaches of lier prohibition order, and "not guilty to the other charge. Detoctivo M'Mahon, in evidence relating to the other charge, said that with an old gentleman he wont yesterday to the corner of Patterson Street and a street loading to the gasworks. For somo time he saw the aroused approaching, and sho went up to tho old gentleman in ft very aggressive manner. He made hiniKlf known, and asked her her business with the gentleman. She said sho had a right to seo him as she had in her pocket letters which h« had written to ho.;. >Vit»«f» charged her with having blackmailed I Iβ man for nearly eleven years. She said ho had been giving her money, but did not say what for. Witness knew (hat accused was a prohibited person, and hor ■antecedents, then arrested her on tho, charge, 110 found in ;i little bag she had a bundle of empty envelopes. , , Mr Si'ti'vr who had meantime entered a plea of ''guilty." pointed out that there was no charge of blackmail, and submitted that the evideuoo was not relevant, lhe woman imd her mother hail been fined and civea a week in which to (mil the nionev, and they were endeavouring to »ell ihoir efl'e-ts , f or that purrm*.. _R« (bought: that the woman should l:o giyct the. oppnrliiiiily (o do so and not lie imprisoned. . , , ... Mr. Cut ten, S.M., paid that much of the evidence was not relevant, but Ihrio was sufficient for a conviction. Ino accused would bo given tho opportunity (o sell up her ••fleets. Slie would br> convicted and discharged for the broach of her order, and on tho other charge would ho convicted, and sentence would be d«ferrod for a. month. .Meantime she would be allowed to go on her i resent sureties.