ALLEGED FRAUD

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 196, 14 May 1920, Page 9

ALLEGED FRAUD

BUSINESS DEAL ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL Joseph Lewis Alfred was charged before Mr. E. Pago, S.M., in tho Magistrate's Court yesterday with conspiring with one ■Tack Coulter to defraud Patrick Sarsfield Ford of the sum of .£2OO. Mr. R. C. Kirk'appeared for the complainant, and Mr. A. B. Sievwright for the accused. In outlining the case, Mr. Kirk said that the accused, with a man named Coulter and two others, came over from Australia in February last by tho same steamer. Two of the men remained in Auckland, and the accused and Coulter came on to Wellington. The two in Auckland and the two in Wellington operated on similar lines. They claimed that they- were photographers, and that they possessed' a special process in photography. An advertisement was caused to bo inserted in one of the newspapers offering for sale a partnership in a photographic business. Applicants wore invited to apply to a certain land agent, and the reason given for selling was-that owing.-. to ill-health one of tho partners desired to retire and go to Sydney. The prospective buyer was shown a quantity of photographic materials, and was told that the now process was so excellent that £10 per week could be earned by'each partner. A solicitor was then interviewed, and a formal need of partnership executed.. Subsequently tho two men who wore operating at Auckland., together with Coulter, were .arrested on st steamer which was about to leave for .Sydney. In the possession ot oho of th'o men, not Coulter, a sum' of ,£2Oll was found, and Coulter claimed this money, as his property. , Two of tho men were token to Auckland and charged with fraud, but as there .was no charge against' Coulter he was liberated, and the police had not been able to find him since. Much of the material solrt by Coulter to Ford was taken away by Coulter, but was recovered by the police. The business was found to bo of no practical value, and the special lightning process did not exist. ~,,-, Richard Collins, solicitor, said that on March 15,"Alfred,. Coulter, and Ford called at ■ his office. Alfred and Coulter said that they had been carying on tho business of photographers. They also said that Coulter, on account of illhealth, was going to Sydney, and that Ford had decided to buy his share of, the partnership. The consideration was £200. Ford was asked if ho had seen the plant. He said he had, and that he was satisfied. Witness drew up a document, being a dissolution of the partnership between Alfred and Coulter, and an assignment from Coulter to Ford, also a deed of partnership between Ford and Alfred. The deed was duly executed. Ford and Coulter paid the costs. The complainant said that he was an electricinn. He saw an advertisement in a newspaper offering for sale the partnership nnd guaranteeing £10 per week to the right man. Witness replied to 'the advertisement, and met accused and Coulter. They told witness that in one week at St. Kilda they had cleared £100. and in coming over on the steamer they had made £9. Ho detailed the further negotiations which led up to his,agreeing to purchase Coulters share of the business for £200, and' tho piquing of the deed of partnership with Alfred. Witness paid a deposit of £2o on a Saturday, and agreed to pay the balance of £175' on Monday. On the Monday he refused to say the balanco until he was given a demonstration of tho specftl process. They then went to 'the Egmont Private Hotel, where wit- ' ness was shown photographs and photographic materials, etc. To Mr. Sievwright: The cameras and photographic material they said were vnlu"d at £125. Witness paid £02 Ms. for the half-share of the equipment and £137'105. for the goodwill and tuition. He told Mr. Collins that lie was satisfied with the business; and he may have said-he was getting, value for his money. •The nionev was paid over '• to-Coulter.-- ' The accused consented to the transaction. When witness bought into the business he thoupht there were possibilities in it. Alfred did not seem to be interested in the business, and later most of the' stock disappeared. He believed Coulter took the stock away, '■> Re-examined: The accused made no honest effort to carry out the terms of the contract of the partnership. - Senior-Sergeant Dinnie, of the Criminal Registration Department, said he had been purchasing photographic material for the Department for the last seventeen years. Tho photographic material produced was worth about £20—a general estimate. Detective Black said that on March 19 he, in company with Detective Tricklebank, boarded- the Moeraki for tho purpose of arresting Da-wscy and Goulding on a .charge similar to tho one now under investigation. In company with Dawsev and Goulding was Jack Coulter, and all' three had permits and tickets. In Coulter's luggage was the photographic material produced. In Goulding's possession were two £100 notes on tho Bank of New Zealand. Coulter claimed that £106 of the money belonged to him.. A warrant had been issued for Coulter, but he could not be traced. On March 30 witness saw the accused after his arrival from Cliristchurch, where ho was arrested. Alfred made a statement,'which was read. The accused pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was allowed, in his own recognisance of £200, conditionally on his reporting to the police twice, daily