MAN’S LIFE OF BLUFF

Hokitika Guardian, 18 November 1924, Page 4

MAN’S LIFE OF BLUFF

LONDON, Re]it. 23

A remarkable story ol his life was told at Sheffield police Court yesterday bv Percy Seymour Kelly, 32, an accountant, who pleaded guilty to obtaining a motor-car by false pretences in 1 , . , lie was also alleged to have obtained groceries by wearing the uniform ol a major and pretending to be a doctor. fie was arrested in the steamship Montrose, at Liverpool, alter being deported from Canada. Kelly said that when 17. as the result of a wager with a fcllow-stude.it at King’s College, Loudon, lie oosed as a clergyman and deceived the LJisn in of Winchester, until lie failed to answer questions on Greek and theology. He was charged with obtaining by false pretences Is fid. the value of the ~ J|>per he had with the bishop, and was sentenced to six weeks’ hard labour. Afterwards lie obtained' commissions in three different regiments, but on each occasion his previous record was discovered and his commission was taken away. On the last occasion he was court-nundialled for conduct unbecoming to an officer and a gentleman, nod was dismissed from the Service. He was also bound over lor lorgery.

lie went to Sheffield, and while there obtained the motor-car. which v "is H e subject of the charge, lo take bis wife In the Lake District. drink with a jfdge in the I'NITED STATES. After that he wont, to the l niled States and set up as an accountant. In the Stale of Nevada he obtained a divorce from his wife oil the ground of incompatibility of temperament. “We all went into a room.” Kelly proceeded. “Myself, my 'wile. the other man. and the judge. “She said she was musical and that I was not. The judge said if was a pretty awful state id allairs and he guessed lie would divorce me. lie did. We had a drink I •c;cl her. lull lie told Ole to I|" caret ill, as il was a I’nui ihilion Stale."

He went for a six months' limiting expedition for hear and moose ill the Rocky .Mountains, but on Ins return lie was arrested and charged by the immigration authorities with Iming over (ho Canadian border longer than the proscribed period.

“Finally, after squaring the district attorney, the judge, and the police, I was allowed to go. They told me it was 50 dollars for the chief of police. HI!) for the attorney, and 50 lor the judge, or else four months’ imprisonment

lfis record afterwards came to light, and lie was deported. Mr O’Kell, the prosecuting solicitor: What were you doing in the uniform of a British officer when you got this motor-ear ? —Swanking. Kelly was sentenced to six months’ hard labour.