A PECULIAR CASE.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 16 October 1919, Page 4

A PECULIAR CASE.

ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES,

A man who had been before the public in various parts of New Zealand, in lecturing tours, as "Boranoff, the Russian exile," and who recently incurred the notice of the authorities, and was interned, came before Mr J. E. Wilson, S.M., on charges of having fraudently obtained £125 from a Dalmatian fisherman at Helensville. The allegations against him were that by pretentions that he was a doctor and had been promised - thirty or forty patients for a massage institute he was about to open at Helensville, he induced the other man to lend him the money. The accused was charged as Leo Arthur Coplan, alias Arthur Coplan Boranoff, alias Albert Bernstein, alias Leo Arthur Arnold Copeland Boranoff.

—Would be a Fisherman—

The principal witness, Tony Antunovich, said he met accused in Queen Str«et in July and got into conversation with him. Witness told Boranoff he was a fisherman at Batley, near Helensville, while Boranoff confided to witness that he waa working for the Labour Party in the interests of the Jugo-Slavs. Boranoff gave witness a card on which was printed " Dr. L. A. C. Boranoff (St. P. Un.)." He said he was a doctor and had been a medical officer at Trentham Camp. Boranoff went with witness to his home at Batley, and when witness said he wanted someone to work with him, Boranoff stated that he knew something of the fis"hing industry, as his father had had about twenty fish-curing sheds in Scotland and used to export herrings to Russia. Witness agreed to take Boranoff in with him on shares, but in three days witness found that the man knew nothing about the business. Boranoff agreed that the work was too hard for him, and advised witness that he should not spend his life in such work. One of Boranoff's statements was that the man who would beat a fisherman for a penny would eat human flesh.

—A Godsend to Helensville —

Then Boranoff talked of the need for a masseur at Helensville, and the money there was to be made at the business. He declared that being a medical m?in and a masseur he was a godsend to the place, and that he could get 30 or 40 patients right away from Dr. Meinhold. He said he had got a promise to that effect from Dr. Meinhold, and that an establishment could be furnished and started for ;£IOO, while if witness lent him £100 he would get his money back in six months and would have a fifth share in the business. He also suggested that witness should sell out at Batley and move to Helensville and take a house where he could lodge, and on his recommendation his patients could take pleasure trips in witness' launch, so that th ey could make more money from the business. He said Mr Stewart bad offered him £6 a week to take up massaging at the Hot Springs, but he had refused, as by his plan they could make £30 or £40 a week. He said to work for Mr Stewart was only to help make a rich man richer, and he would rather take witness in and make a poor man rich.

—Money Back in Six Months—

Eventually, on July 17, witness drew £150 from the Bank, and lent Boranoff £100 to start the business. Accused said it would be returned in six months. Witness also brought his wife and family to Helensville: Boranoff went to Auckland, stating that he would have to get furniture, and also arrange for an office in town that he might do massaging business in town for four days a week, and spend the other three days in Helensville. A few days later he wrote stating that things were very dear in Auckland, and asking for another £25. Witness rang him up. and Boranoff said he would return the £25 as soon as he collected His money from patients. Witness sent him the £25 on August 11,

and he had not since seen him. He had lent the money on Boranoff s representa-

tion that he was a doctor and that he had a promise from Dr. Meinhold of 30 or 40 patients.

Evidence w-as given by Dr. Meinhold, Ho stated that on July 17 accused called on him and said ho was a doctor, but not registered in New Zealand. He said he had £3000 or £4000 and was prepared to ,invest about £800 in the massaging line at the Hot Springs if witness" would support him. Witness stated that a masseur was wanted at the Springs, but he Avould have only one or two patients to start with. Witness did not state that he would get 30 or 40 patients, and did not guarantee him that number. On July 30 accused wrote witness to the effect that he had commenced business in Auckland, and would visit Helensville by arrangement. Witness discovered that accused was using his post-office box number without any authority to do so. Formal evidence was given of the sums withdrawn from the Bank by Antunovich, and of the amounts banked and withdrawn by accused. Detective-Sergt. Issell deposed that when he arrested accused at his office in Auckland, on a military warrant, he found a bankbook corroborating Antunovich's statement. Accused, who pleaded not guilty, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.—Auckland Star.

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