A BUTLER’S FRAUDS.

Shannon News, 29 September 1925, Page 4

A BUTLER’S FRAUDS.

PROMINENT PEOPLE DUPED. A clever THIEF. Known in th© underworld as “Tom the Butler*” Albert Tivendale, a man of 65, has during his extraordinary career duped, by means of forged references, some of the best-known people in England. . This “Raffles of the Servants’ Hall" is ,in fact, an excellent servant, apart from his peculiar failings, and he has enjoyed the confidence of such employers as Air. Stanley Baldwin, tile Prime Minister, the late Marquess Curzon, the Earl of Shrewsbury* Lord Salisbury, the late Lord Charles Beresford, and Mr/ David Davies (the millionaire M.P.). But throughout the period of trust he was leading a double life, though nobody appears to have suspected that the smiling and attentive butler was in reality a very clever thief. When Tivendale stood in the dock at-the Old Bailey before the Recorder at London, Sir Ernest Wild, K.C., he could not refrain from using some of the mannerisms which have become habitual to him. He deprecated the suggestion of the prosecution that within the past few years, he has lost numerous good posts through drunkenness. “I have been in some of the finest houses in the land, my Lord,” he said smilingly, “and have had charge of some of the best wine cellars,, so it is not likely that I should help myself to the wine.” Of late years Tivendale has not indulged his mania for stealing, though he has not lacked any number of opportunities, for he has worked in families whose collections of jewellery are world-famous, His chief offence lately has been that of forging testimonials setting forth his own good qualities, and, although fined time after time for this type of deception, he has persisted in repeating it. Attempt to Hide the Past.

When arrested at Newport Tivendale was in the service of Colonel David Davies, M.P., having obtained the post by means of forged references. He had previously been arrested at Kingston for a similar offence, but the Magistrates allowed him bail, and the breathing space thus afforded he used to get away into Wales, where he quickly found a billet. Among Tivendale’s luggage were found scores of testimonials which he had had typed on paper bearing the imprint of noble houses and ancient family crests. He was such an adept at faking references that he was never out of work for long. But ht was not at all abashed when he faced the Recorder. “I knew I was a good servant,” he said, “and therefore 1 did not see any harm in stating - that it was so.” His real reason for forging, testimonials was the necessity for hiding his past. iTvenandel glirst wen to pihso] in Tivendale first went to prison in 1893, and again in the following year his craving for other people’s property overcame him, and he was sentenced at Paisley to a short term. Then he turned up at Trim, Ireland, where he received twelve months’ imprisonment for theft. By this time he could not gt a situation without resorting to forgery, ana. his drinking habits had become so pronounced v that he usually-only held a situation for a few days or weeks at the most. He has been convicted at quite a number of places, and has served one sentence of five years’ penal servitude. A Complaint Against Fate. On one occasion Tivendale provided a fellow ex-convict with a reference which enabled him to enter the vlce of Sir Guy Seabright. Sentenced at the Old Bailey last year for. forg-

ing a telegram, he left prison in October, - and within a fortnight, he was at his old tricks. Y'et he tried to enlist the sympathy of the Recorder by saying that Fate was against him* and that the police were constantly hounding him down. “I have never been the worse for drink in my life,” he declared. “As for dishonesty, I once found a purse, and took it straight to a police station. I was employed at Mr. Baldwin’s town house as butler and valet for about two months, and had eighteen men under me there, and during the three months I was with the late Marquess Curzon I gave him complete satisfaction. At all the houses where I worked I had jewellery and other valuables in my charge, but I never touched anything.” Tivendale added that he now had a chance to go to Canada to make a fresh start in life, and a pretty girl came forward to confirm this statement. The girl’s replies to the Recorder’s qnjestions as to the address of the brother who was going to help Tivendale were, however, rather vague, and th© Recorder said the persistent offences could not bo passd over, and sentenced Tivendale to twelve months’ hard labour.