The "Hand and Ring" Fraud. Further (BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Timaru, Jan 14.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 138, 23 January 1886, Page 4

The "Hand and Ring" Fraud. Further (BY TELEGRAPH. — PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Timaru, Jan 14.

The statement published in regard to Howard (of the hand mystery) having sent a letter by hand to his wife at Christchurch corrobated some information -which recently reached the iTimaru Herald onthesubject. That paper is informed that a man who will be probably called on as a witness was working in the Wairarapa with Howard, who was then going under an assumed name. When the latter found out from him that he was going to Christchurch, Howard then asked him, if he would take a letter for him, and he promised to do so. During ■their conversation the man referred to noticed that Howard had lost the thumb of his right hand. He took the letter, but on hie anival at Christohurch he forgot all about it for nearly a fortnight. It was addressed to "Mrs Howard," and on going to the address given he found the place shut up. He ultimately traced out Mrs Howard, who was by this time mourning the supposed loss of her husband, and gave her the letter. Subsequently hearing rumours afloat about the case, and remembering the circumstances of the missing thumb, he communicated with the Christchurch police. This gave the first inkling as to the whereabouts of the prisoner, and the Wellington police were at once put upon his track, with the result that he was arrested under circumstances now familiar to the public.