A. B. Worthington.

Manawatu Herald, 30 October 1902, Page 2

A. B. Worthington.

During the trial of A. B. Worthington on a charge of obtaining money under false pretences, the accused made a lengthy statement in his defence.

He said Madame Juveny (from whom he is alleged to have obtained £1096) became interested in, and entered into, his plans, and pave—not lent—him money to assist; the work.

In describing his own troubles and worries Worthington several times broke down and wept. In the course of bis statement he said that from 1896 to 1899 his friends in New Zealand supplied him with the means of living. They had sent suras of £lO to £SO, aggregating thousands of pounds. He had been using funds receive! from America to pay off his New Z ealand friends. TRIAL FOR FRAUD. During his trial on a charge of obtaining money under false pretences, A. B. "Worthington complained that he was unable to produce important papers owing to the Unitarian Church authorities at

Sydney refusing to surrender them Amongst certain moneys he received was the proceeds of the sale of the old Temple of Truth at Christchurch. Counsel for the defence contended that the evidence showed that Madame la Juveny gave her money for work in which her whole soul was centred, to be spent in doing what she and Worthington were both interested in.

Counsel for the prosecution, on the strength of expert and other evidence, characterised some of the letters relating to the fortune which Worthington alleged that an aunt had left him as forgeries. THE JUDGE’S CHARGE.

The Judge delivered a very lengthy summing up, strongly against the accused. He was especially severe in referring to the representations made to Madame la Juveny regarding the alleged fortune which was said to have been left to Worhington by his aunt, with a view to inducing the advance of money. His Honor scathingly condemned accused for allowing his counsel to insinuate that Madame la Juveny had induced him to leave his wife for certain purposes, and to insinuate in effect, “ Hhe bought my embraces with all her property.” His Honor characterised some of accused’s explanations regarding the correspondence as unintelligible. A VERDICT OF GUILTY.

Worthington has been found guilty of obtaining Madame la Juveny’s money by false pretences. The prisoner was remanded for sentence.