"A BRUTAL BLACKGUARD."

Taranaki Daily News, 27 September 1916, Page 3

"A BRUTAL BLACKGUARD."

PREYS OX HELPLESS WOMEN. SUBSTANTIAL TERM OF IM ' TRISONMENT. "Tt is a pity that such a binel:«uard as this man is not known from North Capo to Bluff," remarked Inspector Hendrey, in the Wellington Magistrate's Court lust Friday, in reference to Thomas I'Yaneis M'Millan, who was called upon to answer one charge of theft and three of false pretences. It v/as shown in the evidence that a widow named Mrs. Rawson became acquainted with M'Mille.n through the medium of a matrimonial advertisement, and that shot agreed to narry him in a. few months' "time. She had a quantity of furniture at Masterlon, where she had been living for about nine months, and on 'M'Millan'?. suggestion she went to Masterton and disposed of it. Mrs. Rawson returned to Wellington on July 27, and accused met her at tilt railway station. After a while he a=kod her if she could give him £8 10s in order to "make the books right" at Young's Chemical Company, where accused was employed. She complied with tV.e request, fi'lly believing that M'Millan was acting straightforwardly On subsequent occasions slie gave him £6 and 2"is. • She also gave him her wedding ring, believing that he wanted it for the purpose of gauging the sizt of the engagement ring. The ring was never returned, while the borrowed money suffered tlje same fate. When Mrs. Rawson discovered the accused's character she refused to have any more to do with him. For the defence it was submitted by Mr. P. W. Jackson that the charges must f ;rl, as no false pretences had been disclosed. They had no evidence that M'Millbi did not tell the truth when he asked | Mr.=. Rawson for the £8 lte.

The Mafbtrate (Mr D. 0. A. Cooper, S.M.): 1 hold that the charges have been proved. Ai this stage Inspector Htndre.y rose and proceeded to refer to other acta by M''Mi!lan which had come under the notice of the police. Mr Jackson: T must object, sir, unless .(he instances have been proved in Court. 'The Magistrate upheld Mr. Jackson's obieetion

inspector Hcndrey: I would like to say, voiiv Worship, that the accused has behaved ill a brutal manner He has prey, rd upon unfortunate, helpless women, and got money mid goods out of them by professing love and promising marriage. He has two convictions againsi him for similar offences, and there are coveral other instances.

Here cjunsel again objected. On two of the charges MMillan was sentenced to one month in gaol in each instance, and on each ot th; others to six month?. For escaping from the Tcrrjico Gaol he was sentenced to an additional month in prison. All the sencuces were ordered to be cumulative.