IMPERIAL THORPE CASE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 747, 21 August 1929, Page 15

IMPERIAL THORPE CASE

TWO MEN PLEAD GUILTY TO “RINGING-IN” CONSPIRACY ADMITTED CSpecial to THE SI72?J CHRISTCHURCH, Today. The charge of conspiracy to defraud in connection with the alleged “ring-ing-in” of the horse Bruce under the name of Imperial Thorpe at various race meetings m the South Island preferred against Samuel Bates, Leslie Holland and James Dowler, was heard in the Christchurch Supreme Court yesterday before Mr. Justice Adams. In his charge to the Grand Jury, his Honour said that there was no doubt that Bates and Holland were actively concerned with the horse. He considered, however, that Dowler had nothing to do with the running of the horse, although he had witnessed the signatures at the sale of the animal and had used his knowledge to bet on the totalisator. That did not show that he had any connection with the running or entry of the horse, and could hardly be said to constitute conspiracy to defraud. The Grand Jury returned a true bill, and when the case was called, Bates and Holland pleaded guilty, and Dowler not guilty. The Crown Prosecutor, Mr. A. T. Donnelly, said that as there was very little evidence against Dowler, he proposed to apply for a stay of proceedings. His Honour agreed, sajdng that if the case had gone to a jury, he would have been bound to direct it that there Avas no charge. Bates and Holland were remanded till Thursday for sentence. The horse, Imperial Thorpe, was impounded by the stewards of the Canterbury Park Trotting ’ Club on the second day of the club’s winter meeting at. Addington on June 3. Three days later Samuel Bates, labourer, and registered owner of Imperial Thorpe, and Leslie Holland, trainer of the horse, were charged in the Police Court that, with intent to defraud, they tried to obtain £159 in money from the Canterbury Park Trotting Club by falsely representing that a trotting horse nominated as Imperial Thorpe was not the trotting horse Bruce