MERCURIAL MARTHA.

NZ Truth, Issue 74, 17 November 1906, Page 5

MERCURIAL MARTHA.

Trifling Tricks of Tricky Tainui.

How the Coppers Found Her.

The case of the young swindleress, Martha Tainui, the half-caste convict, who represented herself to be the daughter of tiie Hon. James Carroll, may le again mentioned. It appears that as soon as she was releasedfrom Lyttelton gaol she called on Colonel Jowsey, so it is alleged, and introduced herself to him m the capacity of relative to the Native Minister. The lady casually mentioned, as she put her hat straight, that her maid was waiting for her outside, and she left, driving away m a cab to her "private residence m Lichfieidstreet." Instead, she went to Mrs Rowse's Excelsior Hotel, and proceeded to have a slap up good time. Martha fancied champagne, and on the representation that she was Timi Kara's dearly beloved daughter, she got it. The lying jade stayed but a day at the Excelsior, and her bill (unpaid) for that day was £5 2s 6d. Pretty pure, but it shows how Martha can do things orice she gets a move on. It was discovered by the lately-released gaol-bird that her wardrobe required replenishing, so she hied to the wholesale establishment of Ross and Glendenning and stated her

wants. They replied that it was not customary for wholesale people to sell retail ; but ljr THE LADY RAMPED AND RAVED and Said that she and the members of her family dealt with the Wellington branch of the firm, and if she wasn't served they would sever their connection with Ross and Glendenning altogether. In the result they allowed Tainui. to select nice, choice goods ito the value of £16 10s. She ordered them m an imperious manner to send the parcel round to the Excelsior, Hotel at once, and no nonsense. The goods were along at the pub m two shakes. How far she would have gone on the road towards obtaining enough to stock a shop, had not Detective Connell got hold of her, it is difficult to say. But she was "wanted" all right, and after touring round the city hotels on the night following, Oonnell discovered her

IN BED WITH A MAN named. Mackay, she passing as a temporary Mrs Mackay. The pair had only put up at the pub that night, and the 'tec soon had her out of bed, and provided her with another m the police station at the Government expense.- That settled her hash, as she had lyj de f ence; her misrepresentations were "altogether too strong, but as she is an old offender, having such a long list, of convictions against her, it is doubtful if the "twelver" that Khe is now doin.o; will have the slightest effect m the way qI reforming herj