FORGED TESTIMONIAL

Evening Star, Issue 20053, 19 December 1928, Page 8

FORGED TESTIMONIAL

RUSE OF SOLICITOR'S CLERK DISAPPEARANCE WITH £585, T?v means of ft f-aleo testimonial, written himself, testifying ofljLinmcns as a solicitors clorK, »oj %», ■«“ thirtv-one, obtained a position of^ us ™ a firm of solicitors at Word. Soon alter wards he absconded with £595 of mo nnD • money Ho was arrested and charged at Chelmsford Assizes, when Mr Justice Amy passed sentence of four years penal serwthe circumstances counsel fo» the prosecution explained that tho head of the firm needed a reliable clerk, as he was not in good health. Accused answered an advertisement, and in a personal interview represented that ho hod been for ten yars in me service of a Mr Wright a Liverpool solicitor. His prospective employer applied bo Mr Wright for Pipers character, and received a reply on a London hotel notepaper testifying to the man s abilities and mentioning that ho had acted as assistant organist at a church at Walton, and was liked by everyone. JU . .. . It was learned, however, that the audios* which accused gave as Mr Wrights was that of a house where ho had arranged to have letters delivered, with instructions that they should be redirected to him in London. The reply from Mr W right was in his own handwriting, cleverly disguised. He obtained tho position, and disappeared with £595, money paid to tho firm in, respect of the purchase of propej. which his employer had had to make A defective said accused was a solicitor’* clerk as a youth, and afterwards entered the Valuation Department of the Inland Revenue. . , , ... Tho judge, in passing sentence, described prisoner’s forgery as very clever.