BLACKMAIL CHARGE

Hokitika Guardian, 23 July 1929, Page 3

BLACKMAIL CHARGE

A QUEER CASE. (lly Telegraph—Per Press Association.! AUCKLAND, -July 22. Charges, of demanding £7 and L2 Ills with menaces at Auckland on July 17 and July 20, with intent to steal, were preferred in the Police Court against Harry Cooper Douglas, aged 57, a railway employee. Several telephone conversations with an unknown man were related bv tlu* complainant, a resident of Grey Lynn. He said that on July 17. lie received a telephone message in which the man said he had a number of letters written by witness’s wife to a business mail in Auckland. The man also state he had photographs rif this other man leaving witness’s lioihe, and also oilphotographs. The voice suggested that witness would not like those lettermade public or produced in the even' of divorce proceedings. On witness inquiring who the man on the telephone was, he received no reply. The man said that some expense would ho entailed in obtaining the letters. Later the man said he now had the letters and that seven pounds would he required to obtain them from him. Witness finally agreed to send his assistant to meet the man in the Palmerston Buildings, the assistant to carry a piece of paper in his hand, so the! the unknown" man would know who lie was. The price fixed that day wa; £2 10s.

The assistant, in evidence, sird that, after waiting for some minutes in Palmerston Buildings, lie was an preached liv the accused, who asked what lie wanted. Witness replied: “I do not know. Somebody is t< give ini* some paper.” r l he accuses then asked if ho had anything for him Witness said that he had not, and 1 ashed the man to ring the complainant to sec what witness was to do nexl Witness said the accused then walkei out, and returned about live minute: later. Accused then said his “bosses” wore very hard, and lie could not go! the papers, lie said their offices wen i'll Phoenix Chambers, next door, am Unit the papers were to go in at 12 o’clock. By that witness took him to mean that they were to he'handed to solicitors. Accused then said lie would mislay them, and that lie would sene them to complainant for nothing. Witness left him then.

..etective-.k'ergeant Doyle, who ap prehendod the accused after his meeting with the complainant’s assistant, said that :it the police stalioi accused made a statement in whie! he admitted ringing the complainant mi the telephone, hut stating that b had been acting for another man with whom he had previously worked. r l n mail had at first asked £-. and lum then stated he would take C2 10s Tor the letters, as lie was out of employ nient. Accused further staled he d« not know where the other man was a' present, nor where lie lived. 'Jim reason he had taken an interest in tie matter was because lie know the complainant and his family. Acrused, who pleaded not guilty and reserved his defence, was committed te the Supreme Court for trial. No application for bail was made.