FORGERY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2236, 8 February 1921, Page 2

FORGERY.

SULLIVAN COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE.

At the Palmerston Police Court yesterday, before Messrs R. S. Abraham and S. Abrahairfs, -J’s.p., John Edward Sullivan, a farm hand, residing at Shannon, pleaded guilty to having forged three cheques at Foxton, in (he name of Coley Bros., his employers. Detective-Sergosi«i®L Quirke, who prosecuted, produced a T statement in which accused admitted having forged two cheques for £lO, and one for £5 at Foxton. Geo. Wm. Shepherd, licensee of the Family Hotel, Foxton, said that on January 23rd the accused came into his hotel and asked for, and was handed, a blank cheque. After filling in the body of the cheque, witness handed it to the accused, who signed it “Coley Bros.” Witness said he thought accused’s name was Sulliyan, and asked him why he signed that name. Accused replied that there were three of them “out there,” Coley Bros, and himself, and that they all banked in the same name. Witness cashed the cheque, handing accused 10 single notes. Later the cheque was presented at the bank at Foxton and passed in. Four days later accused asked for another cheque, which witness filled in for £5 payable to self, and which accused signed, Witness handed accused the amount less 27s which was owing. This cheque was returned marked “signature unlike.” This cheque, like the other, was altered from Foxton to Shannon, and accused initialled the alteration. To.the Bench: He was aware of the relationship between Coley Bros, and accused at the time. When he cashed the first cheque accused did not owe him anything. That was the first time he had seen him.

Robt. Hugh Beveridge, licensee of the Post Office Hotel, Foxton, gave evidence that on January 28th, accused asked him for a cheque form, and filled it in for £lO, signing the name Coley Bros. Having known Sullivan fVu-some time, and that he lived with Coley Bros., he cashed the cheque. Witness gave accused the money, but the cheque was returned marked “no account.” The following day witness met accused in the street, and asked him by whom the cheque was drawn. Accused still insisted that it was drawn by Coley Bros. He detained accused in his office add sent for the police. To the Bench: Accused did not owe him anything when he cashed the cheque. He saw him about once in six months.

Robert Coley, farmer, of Shannon, said that he was in partnership with his brother David, and had an account at the Bank of New Zealand, Shannon, in the name of Coley Bros. The accused was a relative, and worked for them on the farm. The signature oil the three cheques were not genuine, and accused had no authority to sign cheques for them. Formal evidence was also given by Detective Culloty. Sullivan, then formally pleaded guilty to all three charges, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.