DE GARIS ARRESTED

Hokitika Guardian, 14 January 1925, Page 2

DE GARIS ARRESTED

GREAT CROWD awaiting. A (SUBDUED DEMEANOUR. [by TELEGRAPH —TER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND. Jan. ID. A man supposed to he Do Garis, charged with extensive defalcation', in Australia, was a passenger by the Alaheuo which anchored in the stream, where he was .wrested by detectives and brought ashore at 1 p.m.

A great crowd awaited the berthing of the steamer, hoping for a view of •lie prisoner, hut were disappointed, as the- police-boat landed at a quiet spot on the foreshore. Do (laris could not he found on the first day out from Sydney, but next day a third-class passenger came- under suspicion, and a search of his belongings disclosed pyjamas marked “Do Claris.” The man was then kept under strict observation. AA’lu'ii detectives appeared on the scene the pyjamas had disappeared. l)p Claris presents a subdued demeanour. Captain Norton said that after receiving a wireless message from Sydney lie replied that as lar as he knew there was no person named Young on hoard the steamer. Later he was asked if there was a steerage passenger named Leslie, and he replied; “Acs.” “Leslie, lie said ‘to a great extent answers to the description of t-,., Garis given in the radio message. He had been wearing a light .suit and Panama hat. was clean shaved, and was apparently between JO and -H> years of age.” Passenger', were kept iu total ignorance ol' the whole affair, and only five persons on. the ship were aware that one of the passengers was under suspicion. Even the Chief Officer did not know. Precautions were necessary to prevent the man knowing lie was under suspicion. AY he n accosted by the police this morning. Leslie denied he was Do Garis. The prisoner hooked as “Alartin Ernest Leslie, journalist.” He wore blue goggles. When charged a.s Do Garis. with an attempt to defraud Charles Northeroft of CH.o!>:> by means of valueless cheques, the accused made a non-conrnit-tal reply. STEWARDAS SUSPICIONS. AUCKLAND, Jan. IJ. The mystery surrounding the whereabouts of the Australian Company Promoter .Clement James De Garis. was cleared up to-day on the arrival of me Maheno at Auckland from Sydney, when De Garis was arrested by local detectives on a provisional warrant for issuing a valueless cheque. lie had travelled on the Maheno a.s a steerage passenger, under the name of Leslie. but lie. admitted to the police ms real name was Do (lans. A steward on the Maheno. William Brown, first became suspicions that Leslie was De (laris through the physical resemblance to a photograph published in the Sydney papers. Then lie searched his cabin, while Leslie was dining, and he found his pyjamas marked with the name “De Garis.’’ Nothing was said t>> De Garis. hut he was kept under \A lieu the Auckland detectives hoarded the Maheno in tire stream, Do Garis wa; found leaning over the rail. He was taken below and arrested, and he later admitted Ids real identify. He quietly submitted, and was taken ashore in a launch to the police station. His only disguise was huge tortoiseshell rimmed glasses, soatled brown. During the voyage he was restless and nervous, and he started violently y •' the steward entered his cabin suddenly. lie told the steward that he was very worried, and he was ospecialK depressed on Monday. Ihe iaet ol Le (laris being on hoard the Maheno v.as kept a close secret, and none of the passengers and the company knew of the developments. There was great astonishment ami surprise when it became known that the man who had gone ashore in the launch was Do Garis. He will he due ged at) the Police Court in the morning.

THE NEWS IN AUSTRALIA. MBS RE GARIS INTERVIEWED. SYDNEY. Jau. 13. News of the arrival ol the Maheno al Auckland and the solution of thf mvs.feiv ever whether De (lari- "a afii la I’d was awaited willr Ihe keenest interest. The .Sydney police had ii" doubts on the matter, hut Melbourne detectives hazarded the opinion timi the man oil the Maheno might b" a friend of Do Claris, who was draggine a red herring across their trail. do them the chain of evidence seemed toe complete and too easily gathered to (it: the ease of a clever man, like De Garis. When the news reached Melbourne, Mrs De Garis was interviewed. She said that if the arrested man were her husband. “It would he a nice relief to us all. I am very doubtful, however.” Referring to the pyjamas market “|)e Garis” found aboard the Malu'iiii, Mrs De (laris said that apart Irani some very old ones, used as dusters. De Garis had none that bore his

name. She added that the warrant against Do (laris was being withdrawn and that if the arrested man wore really lie. she was sure that everything would end .satisfactorily, ami that he would bo able to clear himself. TV APB AXT TO HE ENFORCED. MELBOURNE, dan. 1:5. With reference to Mrs Do Paris's statement, a member of the Reconstruction Committee of the Melbourne • Sub-divisions Company, said that the warrant for the arrest of Do < laris would not be withdrawn. A cable was received from De darts to-day. .stating that lie was returning home by the first steamer to defend himself. Senior-Detectives Davey and MeKorl'oll proceed to Auckland by the first available steamer to escort De Claris bade. DE GAPTS’ DISAPPEARANCE. GOOD THING FOP. COY. (Pereived this day at ?. a.in.) MELBOURNE. January 14. Mr Woolf-. Chairman ei' the Melbourne Sulr-division Company said that if Urn arrestee was found to 1 be really Do Paris his disappearance was in Hie best interests of the company as several shareholders who had refrained from investing inure money '.'bile De Paris was at tike helm of affairs had court. 1 forward ami ofi'ered to increase their holdings. Air AVoolf also stated the real reasons for De G art s' disappearance were contained in a secret letter which the company had received I rum tin l missing inn linger. The contents would fie dis- , | later if the rei-en.-Tni tioti committee authorised that step.