FOR SENTENCE

NZ Truth, Issue 1143, 27 October 1927, Page 3

FOR SENTENCE

+ Young Forger Robs His Friend (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Rep.) When John Archibald McLean declined a pressing invitation to sign his name m Charles Somerville Vincent's autograph-album and overcame the difficulty by entering his name m print, he may have been suspicious that his young friend was not of the true calibre. TP so, his suspicions were verified at •*• the Auckland Police Court last week, when Vincent appeared on charges of theft and forgery. The despicable manner m which Vincent had betrayed his friendship with McLean was detailed by the latter to Magistrate Hunt. The witness first knew the accused m Invercai'gill and had met him on several occasions m Auckland. On October 7, Vincent accompanied witness into the post office, when the latter was drawing out some cash. The following day they met again and Vincent invited witness out to his place for • the week-end. He accepted the invitation. Before leaving, he was asked to make an entry m Vincent's auto-graph-album, but had done so merely by printing his name m block letters. j This was on the Sunday and later m the day witness discovered that his savings bank-book was missing. On going to the post office on Tuesday, October 11, to report the missing book, witness found that his savings, which amounted to £28 ss. Bd., had been withdrawn and the account closed. "Someone had got m ahead of me," he concluded. Two postal clerks gave evidence of •iliiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiiMiunim

.Twuuiiiiiiimwiimmiiiinuiiwiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiir;having handled the transaction and paid out the amount on two withdrawal slips being presented — one lor £25 10s. and the other for £2 15s. Bd. Detective O'Sullivan stated that he interviewed the accused m Myers' Park. On asking the young man if he knew anything about the fraud, he was given a negative answer. Later, at the detective office, Vincent made a clean breast of the whole affair. He admitted taking the book and perpetrating the forgeries that resulted m the disappearance of his friend's banking account. The manner m which Vincent had expended the greater portion of the money was significant of a youthful ambition to appear as a swaggering college boy. A new and stylish overcoat, a camera, silk scarf, patent leather shoes and — above aal a gold -braided Suva cap, with tassel, were produced m | court as evidence of where most of the cash had gone. Asked by Lawyer Tong, who pleaded for accused, if his client showed any signs of not being normal, the detective admitted that the youth was certainly a "b,it dull." Vincent will appear at the Supreme Court for sentence.