BLACKMAIL ?

NZ Truth, Issue 1152, 29 December 1927, Page 5

BLACKMAIL ?

Embezzler Gives A Reason (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Rep.) Who is the man who, according" to William Patrick Kelleher, for the past eighteen months has pointed the pistol of threatened exposure for the purpose of extorting huge sums of money from his victim? THIS . question may interest the *■ Supreme Court when Kelleher appears for sentence on nine charges of theft from the Auckland Customs Department, to which he pleaded guilty at the Police Court on Thursday. Lawyer Finlay appeared for the accused. By a series of defalcations, accused was successful in embezzling a total sum of £939/9/11. In admitting hisguilt to the police, accused claims to have been the victim of a merciless act of blackmail. FOR SILENCE? While refusing to divulge the name of his tormentor, Kelleher maintains that every penny of the misappropriated funds have been paid for the price of silence. Thirteen years in the service, and during the period of the offences holding the duties of cashier, Kelleher made a full statement of confession to the police. ■ "About eighteen months ago I was approached by a man for a Joan of £70. I had £70 surplus cash which belonged to the Customs Department. I let this man have the £70 on condition that he returned it the following morning. This he did not do. . . . He told me that I had no witness to prove that I had let him have the amount. "He also threatened me with dishonest acts that he accused me of having committed when I was a ganger on the wharf. . . . "Since then, he had repeatedly forced me by threats to pay him certain amounts of money. ... By juggling >vith figures, I managed to have my books balanced each day. I refuse to give the name of the man. . . ." "I bet at races, but have not lost money in this way. All the money I have taken has been paid by me to the man who was threatening me."