IMPOSED ON PARENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 84, 6 October 1931, Page 9

IMPOSED ON PARENTS

FALSE NEWS OF DEATH SON'S FORGED CABLES (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day. In the case in which Henry Hurst O'Connor (24) pleaded guilty and was committed for sentence on charges of forging cablegrams to obtain money the charges were two of forging the name, of F. E. de la Mare to cablegrams addressed to Mr. Connor, of Dublin, and two of uttering forged cables. In addition there were seven counts of theft of property of a total value of £48 18s. A clerk at the Central Post Office, Auckland, said that on 2nd July a cablegram was handed to him for transmission to G. Connor, Balmoral Castle avenue, Clontarf, Dublin. It was signed "F. E. de la Mare, 8, Belgium street, Auckland," and it read: "£S needed for second operation for Henry; .first not successful. In Auckland waiting result. Have sent details by post." Another clerk ajt the Post Oilice said that on Ist August he was handed a telegram for transmission to Mr. G. Connor. It was signed "do la Mare, 8, Belgium street, Auckland," and it read: "Henry died yesterday 4 p.m., chronic peritonitis. Please cable funeral expenses £12 Miss Bright. Writing; deepest sympathy." MONEY PAID OVER. A money-order clerk said lie was handed a slip addressed "F. de la Mare, 8, Belgium street,. Auckland." It related to a money-order telegram awaiting' the addressee, and was from "G. Connor, Dublin," for £13 Is 7d. After witness had got proof of identity the money was paid to the producer of the slip. There was a message attached to the order: "Thank all who helped; writing." Frederick Archibald de la Mare, solicitor, of Hamilton, said he know tho accused, having come into contact with him early in July this year. In Juno the accused had written to him asking him to cable to his parents for £10. Witness sent the cable and received £10 18s in reply. Witness's cable read as follows: "Henry urgently needs £10; please remit if possible." The accused was paid the money. "I have never sent any other cablegrams to his parents for him," said Mr. do la Mare. "None of the signatures 'de la Mare' on the cables produced in Court are mine, and I gave no ono any authority to sign my name to them." Detective Slater produced a statement made to him by tho accused. The accused stated that he had been in New Zealand for five years. "On 28th July," he said, "I was hard up, and sent a cable to my father asking for monoy. I signed it 'do la Mare.' I did not get any reply. On Ist August I sent another cable stating tha,t I had died, and received £12 in reply. If I had not used de la Mare's name I doubt if I would have received any further money from my people." . DISTRESS OF THE MOTHER. Witness said he had shown tho accused two letters addressed to "Miss Bright, care do la Mare, 8, Belgium street, Auckland," and he had stated that one had been written by his father and one by his mother. "Your cablegram with the sad, sad news of our dear Harry's death only reached us. this morning, and oh I what grief that I message has brought to us," wrote Mrs. Connor. "We felt he would pull1 through all right, but God. has willed otherwise, and He knows best. It has nearly broken my heart. Would you kindly tell us where Harry was buried, as later on we would like a small headstone put up, and I would lilce to have the grave well looked after, so if you would make arrangements about this wo could remit the sum necessary for the upkeep of it. Wo stinted ourselves to givo him a good education, sending him to. good schools in England. He would not stay with us and go through the university or go into a bank like his brother. He wanted to go abroad."