FALSE PRETENCES

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 48, 20 November 1926, Page 4

FALSE PRETENCES

A ROMANTIC STORY

A YOUNG MAN'S DECEIT Bi Te iEgraph.—Press association. Invercargill, November 19. The web that Albert lidward Beadle wove when first he practised to deceive his wife was untangled in the Magistrate’s Court to-day before Mr. Cruickshank, S.M., by Detective-Sergeant Carroll, who prosecuted, and Mr. Ritchie, who represented the accused. Beadle bad two charges to face, both being of obtaining money by false pretences. Accused’s solicitor accounted for his client’s lapse from grace by a tale both tragic and romantic. Beadle had got married about six months ago. At that time his prospects were rosy and he had enjoyed a happy honeymoon. Not long after his return from this blissful holiday lie lost his position. Then,; to use Mr. Ritchie’s words, bis male instinct to make tfce best appearance before the female caused him to -commite the grievous error of not telling his wife of his misfortune. For months there followed a deception that must have been a terrific strain on the principal actor. As far as his wife knew, he went to work as usual, and she. received as before money for her household expenses. Unfortunately, this money had been borrowed by Beadle.

When ordinary borrowing was no longer available he resorted to the less honest means of obtaining money, with the result that he appeared in Court with two charges to face. The first intimation his wife had of things being amiss was notice of U a meeting of creditors, for a short time ago Beadle’s affairs became so bad as to make such a meeting necessary.

The charges were that on August 26 he obtained from James Robertson the stwi of £l5 by false pretences, and that at Glcnham on September 20 he obtained the sum of £lO front Duncan Campbell McKenzie by falsely representing that he had money in either the Invercargill Post Office Savings Bank or the Invercargill Savings Bank. Mr. Ritchie asked that the second charge be dealt with first. Accused pleaded not guilty, and elected to be dealt with summarily. Detective-Sergeant Carroll stated accused had been touring round the country selling wireless apparatus. He had called at Glenham. McKenzie kept a store there and was also in charge of the Post Office. The accused had called at f z store and had asked for a Post Office cheque. McKenzie had informed him there were no such things, and had advised him to ring up the postmaster at Wyndham. Accused had then asked him for £lO on loan, stating he had money in the Post Office Savings Bank, and would repay it in a few days. He had not paid the money back, despite several letters from McKenzie.

Mr. Cruickshank said that he was quite satisfied Beadle had borrowed the money by making a false statement. The accused would have to be convicted.

The second charge was then taken. Accused elected to be dealt with summarily, and pleaded guilty. By the police it was stated that Beadle had wanted money urgently and had raised £l5 on a Dodge car he was using. The case was adjourned to Monday so that the Probationer’s report could be received. The accused’s previous record was a clean one.