Foreign Giri Turns Witness for Crown

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 360, 22 May 1928, Page 9

Foreign Giri Turns Witness for Crown

BANKNOTE FORGERIES MEN SENT FOR TRIAL (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) Reed. 10.30 a.m. MELBOURNE, To-day. j The four men were charged with 1 having conspired to forge £5 bank-j notes. Stefan Karasiewiez, a Russian j process engraver; John Howarth, contractor; Benjamin Thomas, tailor; Ralph Miller, retired farmer, have been committed for trial. The foreign woman. Senia Marchenko, who lived with Karasiewiez in a remote bush hut near the seaside, turned Crown witness. All the charges against her were withdrawn. She has recently been cared for by convent nuns. She gave evidence that she first made the acquaintance of Karasiewiez some months ago, when Howarth and Miller took her to the latter’s hut. She was unable to speak a word of English, and was unaware of Karasiewiez’s occupation until one day she saw a halfcompleted £5 note. Afterwards she saw Karasiewiez preparing the paper, making watermarks, | and sometimes note-printing was done | in the presence of Howarth and MilI ler. Witness made paper flowers at \ Howarth’s suggestion as a “blind.” i When, however, she discovered the j note-printing, she announced her in- | tention of clearing-out, whereupon she I was given a pair of shoes and stockRonald Harrison, engraver and technical adviser to the Commonwalth Bank, said the counterfeit notes were a splendid imitation. All the accused are on bail.