A STRANGE STORY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 318, 8 January 1909, Page 4

A STRANGE STORY.

ADWENTI'RKS 01'' AN AUJiD BEUUAN. I'KOIYI FORTUNE TO BKOOARY. Auckland, January 1. An old Belgian named .Joseph Pinto was brought'before the Court tnis morning charged with being a prohibited immigrant. Last September pinto was discovered on the Tofua, en route from Levuka to Auckland', in a penniless and apparently memorylcss condition. On arrival at Auckland the Customs officials were communicated with and the ship was warned not to let him land. Pinto, however, seized an opportunity to escape, and was lost sight ol for .several days, lie was next louud in a pitiable condition near the WuiUkarei ranges. For some days he was unintelligible. and then as he gradually became coherent lie related a strange story of fortune and foul play. lie had set out front Belgium with his young wife and mother-in-law for America. There was some vague mention of a valuable patent and a big estate owned by him at Lima, and then suddenly he was being driven in a cab to the water front at San Francisco. The next thing he knew was awakening in a dark cabin on board a big steamer. Of what followed he had no recollection, nor could he say how In- came to be in Fiji or on .hoard the Cnion Company's steamer; but he was linn in the opinion that he had been robbed by his wife and brother-in-law and then drugged and placed on a steamer. When Pinto \va> up at the police station, explained Sergeant Ilcndry, a folding square of metal was found upon him* In this square of metal, about six inches square, were a number of round holes on some apparent sys- ' tcm, and scratched oil the surface of I the inetal was "Joseph Pinto.'' Immcdi•ately upon, this metal square being found by the police Pinto .became very excited ami rushed at the sergeant in »an cfl'ort to recover it. That piece of I metal wa* hi?* brains, and meant great wealth to him, he declared.

I>Hl being questioned I.V the \iv\ifiau I.'ohmil and by Chiel-Dctcctive .Mar-* sack, iPinto elaborated his story, somewhat varying at the same time from his previous statement. dropping all reference to the estate* in Belgium and Lima. lie slated thai o;i February II last he left .Havre with his wife and hrotlier-in-law for New York, In his possession hi' had a valuable cryptogram, presumably the one produced in (.'ourt, and the patent rights of this ho sold in America for C-WOO. They then travelled across to tin* \Yes|, staying at the Hotel Metropole in Lo> Angelos. and at 134. King street. San Francisco. Here he remained onlv live davs 'before being drugged and robbed by his wife and brother-in-law. All he could remember between this time and his return to sanity in Auckland was a ha/.y recollection of a large green-funnelled steamer of which tlie crew were all black. A-ked by the MagUtralc if he had any wish to express. Pinto replied: "None: except t<> return to San Francisco." Upon the punctured metal square being handed to him Pinto began to explain with animation >omeliiing of the value of his- evpher svstein. and it was evident tlia't lie still ("In*rislied fond li(>|ws of reinstating his fortunes were he only able to return to America. i.Mr. Uussell, on behalf of the I'nion Company, submitted that if Pinto were takeirlmck "ompaiiy u> l-.'iji the whole question of hi- appearance here .would he satisfactorily settled, besides I which he would ibe a certain step on his } wav back to San Francisco. Aflcr a 1 little more discussion his Worship decided to send for the Port Health Olliccr I to ask his opinion on the ipiestiou of ) Pinto's sanity.