MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 291, 28 August 1918, Page 8

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

SERIES OF FALSE PRETENCES

HOW A YOUNG MAN LIVED

A yell-dressed young man, of good appearance, namcil Frederick Clarke Muvtou. alias Marshall, pleaded guilty betore Mr. F. V. Frazer. 8.M.. at the Magistrate a Court yesterday to four charges of obtaining sums of money amounting to £3 U bv means of false preteuees. The alienations against the accused were that, on August 7, 15. and 20. ho recoived £15. £7, and £5 respectively from Gcorgo Jackson, and that on August 2s lie obtained £5 from Walter Stanton, by menus of false pretences. Detective Torrunce staled that the accused bad told Jackson that ho was receiving money from Africa, and Iliac his mother had died. On Sunday last ho called on Stanton, introduced himself as a returned soldier, and said he hRd received a cablegram from Adelaide to the effect that his mother had died, and that he had nil account at the Post Oiiice Savings Bank. .ILo produced a bank book and nay book, which lio wanted to eive as security for the £5. Accused subseauentlv admitted that lie had no banking accouut, and that so far as he knew hte mother was still alive at Adelaide. Detective Torranee added that ho knew the accused pretty well. His Worship: Thereby hangs a tale. I had better not ask you about that !n fairness to the accused. Chicf-Detectivo Buddam said that for three years tho accused had apparently been Jiving on ihe proceeds of money obtained by false pretences from ljindlydisposed people, ile had served several terms of imprisonment for false pretences, tho last occasion being at Napier, where lie was 'sentenced to a term or three years, lie was released on probationary license in 1917, and went into camp, but had been discharged medically unlit. "These are not the only people he has defrauded," remarked tiie cliief-dctec-tive. "Jin lias been living ou tho came for years." "What have you to say about yourself?" inquired Sir. Frazer ol accused. "1 am a fool," replied Murton. ".\"o doubt," observed His Worship, "but that seems hardly to be a sufficient reason." "Strange to say, this young man does this sort of Uiing when lie is perfectly sober," stated the chief-detective. "Tho majority of people commit thesu offences when druuk." "Von are a pretty young fellow," remarked His Worship to accused, "but you have,piled up a pretty bad record, and all of the same type of olTence." "It will be the last time," said accused. "It will be the last time for a pretty considerable period," stated Jlr. Frazer, "because 1 cannot permit this. sort of thing. There, is no reason for a man to be going about without ■money nowadays. There is any amount of work if a man will look for it and is willing to do it, ; but apparently you prefer this easy method."

Murton was sentenced to six months' hard labour, and was ordered to be detained for reformative treatment for a period not exceeding three years.

THEFT OF BOOTS. Joseph Johnston, alias Smith, alias Robinson, pleaded guilty to drunkenness, but could not account for the manner In which he became possessed of a pair of boots, valued at 3os„ on August 19.

Evidence was given by Constable Brown that lie arrested the accused in a secondhand shop in Courtcnay Place, where lie. was trying to dispose of the boots. Accused was inebriated at the time, and said he did not know where he got the hoots. When he sobered up be said lie bought them from a. man in the street, but all ei'orts to trace that man had failed. "lie lias a list of convictions, niostlv for drunkenness, but punctuated with a few thefts,".-observed Inspector Marsack. Accused, who was stated to have been only recently released from Itoto lioa Island, where he had been located for the past two years, attributed his trouble to a fondness for drink, and a dent in the head. He eipvessod his willingness to take out a prohibition order against himself. llis Worship inolined to the opinion that a prohibition order would not be of much use, and sentenced Johnston to two mouths' hard labour on -the charge of tliefl. Accused was convictcd and discharged for drunkenness. I ' A PUGNACIOUS FIREMAN. John Casey was accusal of having been disorderly whi'V drunk ill Lambton Quay on Monday afternoon, and of having made use of obscene language.

It appeared tlijit Casey was challenging nil and sundry to engage in combat wim him. including any representatives of tho Police Force, when two constable came on the scene and remonstrated with him. Casey strongly resented their interference, as his remarks implied, But. his hostility was overcome, and ho was borne ol! to tho police station securely handculled. "Tell us all about it, Cases," prompted His Worship. "Ah, I don't know how it. happened at all," replied accusci) : nanchalantlv. "You've got a black eye," said Mr. Fra•;.er. "That, was dene with a stick." Casey answered. ''Apparently he was looking for trouble and found it," remarked His Worship. Accused did not recollect using tho language. "Are yon a, flremaj?" asked Mr. Frazer. "Yes." replied Casey. "Oil, probably you did not know you wero, using tho language," observed Mr. Frazer, smilingly. . Casey was fined £3, in default 14 days' imprisonment, for using obscene language, and vas convicted and discharged on the : other charge.

OTHER- CASES. William Henry Mitchell was charged with drunkenness, and with the breach of a prohibition order. Inspector Marsack Haid that accused had been released from iraol by the Prisons Board on condition that lie took out a prohibition order against himself. Mitchell was remanded for a week in order that the Prisons Board might be ccnnmuyjcated with. I*or ipsooriety, Martin Yvilliam Tier was imed 10s., in default 46 hours' imprisonment, and two rirst, offenders were each mulcted m a penalty of 65., in the alternative 24 hours' detention.