A RANK IMPOSTOR

Otago Witness, Issue 4032, 23 June 1931, Page 68

A RANK IMPOSTOR

CREDULOUS PEOPLE DEFRAUDED. AUCKLAND, June 18. An astonishing tale of fraud and credulity was told in the Police Court, when Claude M'Laughlin, aged 21, alias Claude Dolores, alias Dr Claude Schneider, was charged with obtaining £92 by fraud, stealing £lO in cash and a typewriter, telling fortunes, and intoxication in a car. The accused was arrested last week, and remanded, but yesterday, when he went to the police station to report, he arrived in a car drunk. The police said that in January an hotel waitress went to the accused to have her fortune told. He told her she would be lucky if she invested. He was running a radio company, and invited her to invest with him. She gave him altogether £92, including £5O for “ stamp duty.” From another man he borrowed a typewriter, and immediately sold it. A tram conductor had his fortune told, and gave accused tw r o £5 notes, although he had told accused that one of his predictions was absolutely false. The accused pretended to burn the bank notes, but it was only a trick. The prosecuting detective concluded: “ He is a pure unadulterated impostor of the worst type.” Counsel said the accused would repay. The magistrate (Mr F. K. Hunt): Will he? ' He won’t be earning for 12 months.