BETTING CONSPIRACY

Hokitika Guardian, 14 October 1929, Page 1

BETTING CONSPIRACY

ATTEMPT TO DEFRAUD. (By Telegraph—Press Association). GISBORNE, October 12. At the Magistrate’s Court, William McKinnon «f(indent agent) ancl Wallace Fountain (telegraphist) , were /in'tly chargdd With conspiring 'to: defraud Arthur Yeo, a Napier bookmaker, pf £99 by means of a forged telegram on August 13th and with similarly conspiring to defraud him: Of £BO on August 15th. McKinnon and Charles Thomas' Clifford Hands (a telegraphist) v-ere charged With having on August 24 attempted to defraud Yeo of £l5O by means of a forged telegram. 'Evidence was given by George Stanley Symons, (owner of the horse Malahat) that as the result of a conversation with McKinnon, he wrote to Yeo and asked for an “if i\o reply dode.” (This being granted with a limit of £2O and also a condition that the telegram had to be lodged before, the advertised time, of tire race. MoKinnon asked that the code be left at his office and twice asked if lie could use the code, witness agreeing on condition that he let him know when'he was doing so. Gn no occasion was he notified by- McKinnon that lie, was gding to use it. Witness denied that the telegrams, produced were written by him, or hy his authority. He also denied sending several other' telegrams produced, making bets on various horses, oi of receiving money either from Yeo or McKinnon. Cross-examined, witness admitted he had endeavoured to communicate with Yeo at McKinnon’s request ancl had addressed envelopes to him and left them with McKinnon, and had used McKinnon’s box for receiving racing letters. McKinnon was continually telling him about the betting after it was done. Elsie Kathleen Mon-ell, a telephone operator, deposed to connections between McKinnon’s telephone number and the telegraph counter. • where Fountain was working but she v/as too busy to bear any conversation. The hearing was adjourned tilt Monday. '