BOYS BOGUS LETTERS

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1620, 5 October 1916, Page 4

BOYS BOGUS LETTERS

DEVONPORT LADY TRICKED, “.MONEY KOR TIER SON.” How a small hoy became frightened when confronted by a policeman and confessed to an offence which he had not committed, and how upother hoy secured money from a neighbour by means of a “confidence trick” was unfolded in the Juvenile Offenders’ Court at Auckiapd on Saturday last. Two boys, both aged twelve years, were (-barged respectively with obtaining money by means of a false pretence, pud wijth in obtaining money by pjeaps of a false pretence. The first boy plmojed guilty, and with regard to him, Senior-Sergeant Rutledge stated that finding out that a Devonport. lady a son named “William” in Auckland, the J;id went to her one Monday with the following note: — “Dear Mother, —M ill you lend me 5s J 1 1 will tome over on Saturday

and pay you. Wrap it up carefully, and give to Iho boy. —William.'’ Never doubting its authenticity. Ibe lady banded over the money to the boy. On the Thursday he came back with another note as follows: “Will yon lend me 7s (id until Saturday, and I will come over and pay yon, and oblige.—William.’’ The money w r as again given to the boy, and when William arrived home on the Sunday his mother discovered that she had been tricked, and informed the police. The boy who had obtained the money was found, and he frankly admitted that he had taken the note's to the lady, but said another boy had written (hem at his instigation. When this other boy was seen he at lirst denied writing the notes, but subsequently admitted that he had done so. Tie also said he had received 2s (id as bis share. The boy who delivered the notes had also found 21b of butter attached to a bicycle, and had removed it and made l off with it. He had also taken a note to another huh - , belt she had no money. Evidence was given regarding the second boy making a statement, in which he admitted writing the notes, but when the boy was sworn he persisted that he had not written them, and that he had said he had done so because he was frightened. The other boy was then placed on oath, ami he kept to his story that his comrade had written tin* notes.

Th(* Magistrate then made both boys write similar notes :i( his die--1:i 1 ion, and when they were compared with the original notes it was l ound that (lie writ in** of the hoy who had delivered the notes bore unmistakable similarity to the original. This boy was told by Lite magistrate of (lie similarity ol the .writing, but he persisted that the other boy had written the notes. His Worship, however, was satislied it bout the handwriting tost, and after telling the hoy who had said he was frightened into admitting an offence which he had not committed how foolish it was of him to say to the police Unit lie had written the notes when he had not done so, dismissed the charges against him. With regard to tlie boy who had “engineered" the whole scheme. His Worship said he appeared “pretty cunning," and committed him to the 1 Weraroa Training Farm. —Herald.