IN FINE FEATHERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 46, 17 November 1917, Page 7

IN FINE FEATHERS

■•• 'MOKE ABOUT THE PSEUDO-BRlGA- ■'•■'•■,' •' ' DIES; •In The Dominion of Saturday last "V there was published in a cablegram'from Sydney, the story of an amazing imposition by one' Frederic]): John Betcke, who charged with unlawfully wearing a military uniform. lie. appeared, in court in the full uniform of a brigadiergeneral, with many decorations. The ~ polios evidence showed that the only, war experience Betcke' had ever had was as trooper in- .the New Zealand Forces in . South Africa, when, owing to an injury to his hip,, the Imperial Government allotted him a pension of a shilling a day. ■Betcke told the police he was born in New Zealand, and was the adopted son ; -!of a iull-bloodcd German named Otto Betcke. For the past six years Eo lias been posing an a military officer. He first promoted himself to lieutenant-col-onel, and gave military evenings to in- :. fluential- citizens of the "Western Suburbs. Finally he assumed the rank of general. 'He appointed a returned soldier whom he met in a' tram* to be bis A.D.C., and pres Bented him with official papers promoting Oiim to captain. Botcko was remanded for medical observation, .owing to doubts as lo his sanity. • . Further light on Betcke's penchant for fine feathers is afforded in a letter from Mr. Charles Slight, of Paokakariki, who' Bays:— Mn. 1873 or 1874, the would-bo ' "jren- • . eral's" people, with a number of other German families, catne to a certain North Island town as -free emigrants. I left there some time after, and lost touch of fßem until the South African War. In October of' 1902 J was in Capo Town for pome time waiting for a ship for Now Zealand. During my stay in Cape Town : . I- saw a' yoitng man parading the streets with quite a number of war ribbons on his breast, and amon? them was the New Zealand ribbon. Finally, the s.s. Del- ;,-. phic. arrived, and all-the New. Zealand men and a. number of Australians vert ■returning by- her, our friend of the ribbons among them. On board I met !Alex. and Archie M'Phee, of Carterton, and also Joe Scott (the latter is horsetraining). I asked them if they knew our friend of the ribbons. They told me 'that Ins name was Betcke, and that he had stowed away on a troopship going •■- to Africa with one of the first contingents,, and had ten found on the ship after leaving Albany.i He was taken to -Africa. After hearing this account of him, I accosted him, and wanted to know wnere and how ho got the New Zetland ribbon. • He replied: "In the Maori War." . J said: "You come from ?" ' that np did so; and when ■I. told him that the Maori War was over ,'. Rt'.least four rears before his father and mother left Germany, and years before he ™ born, he.asked who l"wns. When ,J, told him he collapsed. The war ribbon did. not appear after that, and he hud a very.cool time during the passage .-' home.. My nephew, Sergeant-Major J. Bell, of irenUiara Camp, went to school with the general,-' and knows all his people.