AUCKLAND SENSATION

Hokitika Guardian, 19 August 1925, Page 2

AUCKLAND SENSATION

C’OXXIVISG WITH PRISONERS

WARDERS CONVICTED. [BY Tri.KOItAfH -PKH I'RESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, Aug. 18. 1 An audacious pint to communicate ; with the prisoners in Mount Eden | Gaol, tint! to carry out betting trailsactions, was revealed in the Police Court, to-day. David Hugh Lloyd, aged 39. and Edgar ll*. Scott, aged 39. warders at i the gaol, pleaded guilty to causing to- > bacco and letters to In* uulawtully eon- j veyed to the prison, and F. \\ . I ■ , lleiller. aged 20 admitted causing three letters to be delivered into the prison. The ollenees were committed on July 1 31st. and on April 30th. ' Mrs Ada May Blouse! admitted causing to be delivered to Lloyd, throe ] letters and a parcel of tobacco, to be , conveyed into the- prison. She denied | two charges of publishing a document containing totalisator dividends, and 1 of laying tote odds. Chief Detective Cutumiiig said that in consequence of complaints made by the Deputy Superintendent of the Prison. he went there on August -tth. and saw the warders accused. He took possession of three letters. Later m the day, Mrs Bleasel called to visit her son-in-law. Mike Flynn who was serving a sentence for burglary. 5\ ituess (Camming) told her that Llnvd had been detected bn,aging articles to the prison for Flynn and another prisoner, Gorrard Careissiano. and she admitted that she had given him three letters and a pacing to be handed to Careissiano. Tbe letters were opened in her presence. The contents included a day race card for the Poverty Buy Race Meeting, and they detailed the first and second horses and the dividends paid. A “settling sheet showed that Careissiano had. on one day alone, invested 9190. and had won Llls 12s. In another case lie bad invested about £<s with Mrs Bleasel. and had won £8 ss. At the Gisborne meeting he won £lO9 12s for £132 invested. In most of the eases from £1 t<> £l2 was invested, but there was a ease in which the sum was £25. All the hotting was at tote odds, and Mrs Bleasel had said that she did not hold the money, but she acted only as intermediary, and she gave the prisoner the results. She was aware that she was not doing the right thing in communicating by ibis means, but she was willing to take Hit* risk. It was not denied that she received every consideration from the Prison authorities in the matter of lawful communication with the prisoners, hut she claimed that neither her son-in-law, nor she herself got British justice. Witness bad told her that tie had been informed by Careissiano that a £250 double' was struck, and that it had been paid. William Thomas Leggatt. Deputy Superintendent of Mount Eden Prison. said thci accused bad called to sec her son-in-law. and when spoken io. she admitted she gave documents lo Llovd to take to the prison; she said site was not a bookmaker, but merely “passed it on” for the prisoners. Witness now knew that one betting transaetion resulted in L’lO!) being received into the prison through an illegal channel. , Before calling Mrs Bleasel to give evidence, her counsel. Mr Long, said that it appeared that a big drama was going on, -ad she was one ot the ( pawns in tl > game, and had been used by someone, higher up. She would have ' to bear the brunt of the blame. She submilcd that she had not published within the meaning of the Act. Mrs Bleasel in evidence, said that she was in business at Newmarket. Documents, which she was told to send ■ to Post Office Box 20. Newmarket. ’ came into her possession, and she did ’ as she was instructed. She did not receive any money, and she was not concerned in any way with betting. Cross-examined, witness said that she had handed the cards produced J< j- 1.10.vd to be taken into the prison. She I did not know who wrote “Mr F. Col- | 1 ins. cure of Box 20. Newmarket.” on | eiie envelope produced, but one ot the letters found had been written by her. No reply was given when Detective Cummings asked: “Mho is the book- * ie r ” t Detective Cummings: “I put- it i (l - you that this has been going on lor two months?” Accused: "Two months, if you like.” * Detective Cummings sail that, on February 23rd. Box 20. at Newmarket r post Office was taken by Miss Eva M. Collins. It was the custom that the warders collected the mail front Box 20 and delivered it to the prisoners. When the ploi was discovered all the 1 men told the truth, and assisted the s police. Thcv would lose their positions. ~ and there was also the question ot superannuation. No doubt, the mastci mind was at Newmarket. Remarking that they were bullish men, the Magistrate imposed a line ot £5 and 7s costs in each ease, but refused a request by Mr Scott for the j suppression of their names, saving that it. was too grave a matter,_ especially as tliev were in public positions. In regard to the ease against Mrs Bleasel. it was stated she had already '■ fioen lined £SO for receiving stolen pro-

petty. 51 r Long amended the pica to on of oniiltv on a ’netting charge. Tin* Chief Detective said the woma had declared she would still carry on. Mr Boynton. S.M.: “Ok. a fine t tier would be only a fleahite." On til first charge Mrs Bleasel was sentence to one month’s imprisonment, and sit was lined £2O on each of the two otlic counts.