FALSE PRETENCES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2238, 20 May 1880, Page 2

FALSE PRETENCES.

SECOND EDITION

At the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court •oh Tuesday,. George Gustave Schmidt, on remand from May 13, was charged witli obtaining goods and money by false pretences from Jacob Grossman, to the amount of £39 18s. Jacob Grossman, a watchmaker and jeweller, stated that he saw the accused at Hansraann’s Hotel on March 9. Schmidt was introduced to him as a farmer from Waimate, .'He saidhointended buyinga watch on the following Saturday. Witness asked him why not at once, and Schmidt replied that he expected his two tenants to come down on Saturday to pay him the rent which had been duo the last 18 months. . Told him that if he expected the money on Saturday from his tenants, and if he was inclined to purchase, witness had a watch in his pocket which he could recommend him, and he was quite welcome to take it and pay on Saturday, Showed him the watch, which lie agreed to take at £7 15s, and the chain and locket attached. This was a silver lever watch, but it was subsequently changed. The gold Albert chain and locket were to be £5 10s. He also bought the ring now produced at the same time for £2 2s. The total amount was to be £ls 7s, and that he promised to pay “on Saturday next.” Schmidt did not call on the Saturday, and on Monday witness found him in a predicament. He appeared to be looking for a document, which he could not find, and intimated that he had received a letter or a tclegam from his tenants, who could not not be down until April 80. Ho spoke about his land and made further purchases amounting altogether to £45 17s. Afterwards he said he was as good as the Bank,bought a pair of gold studs, remarked that it was hard for a man worth £4,000 or £5,000 to be short of cash, whereupon witness gave him £1 (laughter). Sub-Inspector O’Donnell— Was that the whole of your transactions with him ? Witness —Yes, thank God it was. The memorandum produced is copied from my pocket-book-His Worship —Then that is no goodTo Sub-Inspector O’Donnell—l gave the credit because I believed accused was a farmer at Waimate; he was introduced as such. Sub-Inspector O’Donnell —Was it because he so represented himself, or because he introduced himself as such. His Worship—Ah, now, that’s not fair. The Inspector—Ho has already made the statement, jTur Worship, that accused so represented himself. Accused to His Worship—l had a lawyer, your Worship, hut he has chucked me over. Witness to accused ■ —l will swear I did not put the watch into your pocket, fasten the chain on you, and say, “ There now, you arc a gentleman at once.” Prisoner—Your Worship, there should be live witnesses here, and I would prove this, but Mr Neck has chucked me clean over. Robert Taylor, a hotel-keeper living at Geraldine, deposed that on or about April 2 accused came to his hotel to remain for a few days for the benefit of his -health. Ho stayed about nine or ten days, and while there had the gold watch and Albert chain produced. On leaving he borrowed £lO, and left the articles as security. Sergeant William Gilbert, stationed at Waimate, deposed to seeing accused at Waimate on April 12. On the following day received a warrant for his apprehension, and executed it in Boyce’s board-ing-house on the same day. Told him the charge, and in reply thereto he said, “ I told the old Jew at the time that I had no money.” There'was no farmer of the same name in the Waimate district, and accused had not been a farmer, there within the remembrance of witness. At this stage Ins Worship decided to adjourn the case. The prisoner was again brought before the Bench to-day (Thursday), and committed to take his trial.