An Unsuspecting Gumdigger.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7797, 13 April 1905, Page 3

An Unsuspecting Gumdigger.

ROBBED OF HIS EARNINGS.; (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, April 12. Matthew Gear, a gumdigger, was the principal witness in the Police Court, when AUred Stringfellow was charged with stealing £230 from him on March 23rd at Auckland. Stringfellow pleaded •■' not guilty." Chief Detective Marsak .said it was a. form of the evergreen confidence trick through which complainant, a respectaVc old man, had •been robibod of £230, the accumulation of years of toil, Matthew Gear said he came to Auckland on February 2nd, and saw Stringfellow in the street. On March 9th witness withdrew £239 lis JOd from the Post OHxe Savings Bank as hi had an idea of going to Australia's. Hq was given a cheque upon the Bank of New Zealand. Witness cashed liha cheque on. March 11, receiving eleven £2O notes, nineteen £1 notes- and some silver. lie ried the notesi aibout in his pocket for several days, and then went to the bank to open an account. When he found that he would have to pay for the account being kept he decided not to place the money in the Bank. He told Stringfellow that he was: thinking of putting the money tack into the Post OHica as he had decided not to go away. Stringfellow said that witness could give him the money, and he would place it in hia own banking account, giving him a cheque for the amount. Witness paid him £230, and Stringfollow wrote out a telling him that by means of this document he could g t »t inonvy at any time, and also that it might not be safe for hiui to carry the cheque mbout, so be gave it back and Stringfellow put it into his pocket. The following day witness looked about till over the place for Stringfellow, and saw him in the evening. ■'! told him," said Gear, "that I was upset aibout the cheque because there was uo security. You might, I sltlid, clear ofl to the other side of the. world and I would have nothing to show for it." The prosecutor addsd that he did not get the cheque. Stringfellow replied : " Surely you san trust mo when you have known uic so long." He found next day that StringMlow's boxes had gone from the boarding-house, and that accused had disappeared. He consequently gave information to the police. After oilier evidence had been giv;n, Detective Brwbcrg, of Wellington, ;ave evidence that he arrested ac;used on the steamer- A theme at Wellington on March 29tK. He had booked his passage for England and would have left imxt day. Stringfellow replied '•' yes " when witness informed him of the charge. He searched accused and found on him a bank draft for £2OO, «, cheque drawn in favour of Gear for £230, and a ticket for KnglaiKl,. Accused pleaded not guilty ami was committed for trial at the Supreme Court.