LOVE AND FINANCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 241, 31 December 1927, Page 22

LOVE AND FINANCE

A CLEVER ROGUE

CAREER OF DECEIT

“According to the English police, who know him well, it would be difficult indeed to find a more plausible or romantic rogue than Walter Horace Francis, a smartlooking middle-aged man, who was sent to prison for nine months with hard labour on a series of charges of obtaining money by false pretences, and three months for making a false declaration of marriage at Barnet,’* says the “World’s News.”

For many years Francis has been known to the London police as a man whoso one idea of life was how to live on the fat of the land without the effort of work. His favourite pose was as a man of means, and heir to vast fortunes. He habitaully dressed in the height of fashion and talked in thousands of pounds, even when he had not a. penny to his name. Although he has persistently described himself as a landscape gardener, he has been interested in some of the shadiest night clubs in London, and has worked hand in glove with women who have constantly passed through the hands of the police. He has posed as the proprietor of a tiight club which was raided several times before he was caught in the act of selling liquors during prohibited hours, just when he was on the point of making a fortune, of which he had boasted so many times. Estate in Scotland

It was fcis vain boasting, and the despicable manner in which he tricked a young girl At Richmond, that led to his being trapped and caught out on the series of charges on which he was arrested at Barnet. When he fell into the hands of the police Francis was living in style in a country hotel, posing as a wealthy man, and heir to many thousands of pounds and a large estate in Scotland. He had appeared in the district at the beginning of August, and during that month had passed no fewer than 20 worthless cheques, which had brought many hundreds of pounds to his coffers.

He had managed to impress not only the proprietor of the hotel where he had taken up his quarters, but also tradesmen for some miles around, and other guests. Like most crooks, he had overstepped the mark, and although he had managed to impose upon a young girl, to W'hom he had made violent love, he could not so impose upon her male relatives, who were responsible for the police at last getting upon his track. Francis was married in 1919, and lived at odd times with his wife and two children in a pretty little house on the borders of Richmond Park. His •wife always believed that he was a landscape gardener, who was in the employ of a. large firm as a travelling representative and adviser, a position which explained his frequent absences from home. Apparently he was a loving husband snd good father. There was never a shortage of money in his home, although his wife had not the slightest idea where that money came from, apart from his work. She had no idea that he was paying attentions to any other woman, but fact was Francis had for months been friendly with a young lady who lived only a few streets from his real wife. Not only was he paying her attentions, but in June he actually became engaged to her, and a party in honour of the event was held at the girl s home. Francis presented the girl with a diamond engagement ring, and suggested that the wedding should take Place at th e church of St. Luke. Richat «_ the end of August, when he said he had to leave London to take North speciul -* ob for his firm in the w«JiTL* Plan J vas a &reed to, but at the n P , . nc of July Francis persuaded me airl to get married to him secretly