Delays in Betting Telegrams Disclosed

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 794, 15 October 1929, Page 11

Delays in Betting Telegrams Disclosed

FRAUD CHARGE FAILS FURTHER PROSECUTIONS Press Association GISBORNE, Today. The prosecution of an indent agent and two telegraphists on charges cf conspiracy to defraud, j involved in the telegraphing of bets, failed yesterday, but further charges against them involving another telegraphist, Charles Thomas Clifford Hands, are to be heard today. William McKinnon, indent agent, of Gisborne, and Wallace Fountain, telegraphist, were jointly charged yesterday that on August 13 they conspired together to defraud Arthur Y*eo, of Napier, a bookmaker, of £99, by means of a forged telegram and that on August 15 they conspired to defraud Yeo of £SU by means of a forged telegram. Further evidence was given by telegraph operators as to tho procedure of dispatching telegrams after their receipt at the front counter of the post office. Alexander Hazleton, inspector of telegraph offices for the Rost and Telegraph Department, gave evidence of the times of the handing in and dispatch of the telegrams, indicating that there had been delays of up to 2S minutes. None of the telegrams accepted at the telegraph counter between 4.37 and 5 p.m. were disposed of in the operating room before 5 o'clock. There was no legitimate reason for the excessive delay on the •Napier circuit. In his opinion the delays on that date and on August 13 were wilful. In reply to Mr. L. T. Burnard, counsel for Fountain, witness said that telegrams were not accepted for bookmakers. He didn’t know whether the department had been informed that Yeo was a bookmaker. Persons were reputed to be bookmakers, but in witness’s opinion it was not the department’s function to state definitely whether any person was a bookmaker. Tho department did not. deliver telegrams to Yeo; they were* delivered as addressed (to A. Joseph). No warnings had been issued to the employees to make sure that telegrams did ‘ not relate to betting. Detective McLeod produced racebooks showing that at Christchurch on August 13 Membo's race was timed to start at 4.41, Black Mint’s race starting about the same time. Witness and Mr. Hazel ton interviewed Fountain on September 13 and obtained a statement. This was to the effect That the telegrarps produced were accepted by him and received from McKinnon, two of the six being signed “G. Symons.” Ho (Fountain) had never wilfully delayed any telegram and had never been approached by McKinnon. McKinnon also made a lengthy statement which was to the effect that Symons said he (McKinnon) could use tho “no reply” telegram to Yeo if he wanted to. No arrangement was made to notify Symons or that he was to participate in the wagers made with his “no reply.” « After detailing other transactions, McKinnon said ho nev6r at any time approached any telegraph official to delay the telegrams for him and time them wrongly, and if any telegrams sent by him were unduly delayed he was no party to it. After hearing address by counsel, the magistrate, Mr. R. H. Harper, said in dealing with the allegation of conspiracy to defraud it was necessary for the Crown to prove the forgery on McKinnon’s part, but his action had been ratified by Symons, as his evidence showed. Tho case, therefore, rested on the delays in the telegram. Under the circumstances these derays appeared suspicious, but might have been caused by several persons, the counter-clerk, distributor, oi* operators. The message of August 24 (Flying Prince), in which the original disappeared, seemed the most suspicious of all, but he did not believe on evidence tendered that any jury would convict. The charge was therefore dismissed.