A BOGUS GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 November 1917, Page 7

A BOGUS GENERAL.

EXTRAORDINARY; KTORY. NEW ZEALAXDEI' IX SYDNEY POLICE COURT. GENERAL BETCKE, D.C.M., K.D. Au amazing story of imposition (states tho Sydney Sun) was revealed at the Paddington Police Court, Sydney, when Frederick John Betcke, aged thirty-eight, was charged with unlawfully wearing a military uniform, and with falsely representing himself to be a returned "soldier. (Some details of the case already published). ■When arrested he was wearing the uniform of a brigadier-general. The colors on his tunic disclosed that he had the Distinguished Conduct Medal, and the other medals he woro were Kin« Edward's Coronation, the Egyptian Campaign 1882-1880. the Third Indian General Service 1597-98, the Naval Long Service, China 1900, South African War (King's and Queen's), Natal 100(1, the Imperial Long Service and Good Conduct, and the Khedive' Staff 1882-188!). Betcke appeared in the dock with the uniform and decorations oii. Other colors found in Betcke's possession included the Royal Humane Society's life-saving certificate. .MED FRENCH'S "TRIBUTE." An honor roll found in Betcke's house In Harrow road, Stanmore, was before tho court. In regard to this Bet.ekc stated to the police that it was absolutely genuine, and had been sent out by U>rc! French from the War Office. When, liowevc- ,it was pointed out that it was made of Australian silky oak, he admilted' that it had been made by a Chinaman at Waterloo.

The statement of the police ww that the only war , experience Beteke ever had was when he was a trooper in a S T ew Zealand force at the South African war. Owing to an injury to his hip a pension of Is per day wa s allotted to bim hy the Imperial Government, and !ie had been drawing his pension at the rmperia! Pensions Office, George street North.

"MILITARY EVENINGS." For six years he had been posin<* as a military officer, and. the Ponsions'office <vas picked on hy him as his official address. When he promoted himself to the I'ar.k of lieutenant-colonel he gave two "military evenings" in order to bring together some influential citizens of the ivestcrn suburbs, At this tinw ho was drum-major of the Newtown Band. Finally he assumed the rank of a general. ITe followed Ms business as an electrician. His billheads were addressed: "Dinner to General Betcke, D.C.M., K.D." Betcke gave a dinner in order to unveil the roll of honor. Cards printed as follows were sent out:— levelling the honor roll of MajorI fiem-rfl Sir Charles Beteke's family. Presentation to Brigadier-General Bet- ! okc, Wednesday, 28th March, 1917. The toasts as printed were: ''The King", and "Anzac Day," proposed bv the Hon. W. A. Holman, M.L.A.. Premier of New South Wales, supported by tV Hon. D. R. Hall. M.L.A., chairman. How he explained their absence to his juests is not known. RETURNED SOLDIER AS A.D.C. Betckes social duties became so heavy that he decided to appoint an A.D.C. Tie picked out a genuine returned Anznc named Kennedy. Tie saw him ridini in a tram. He introduced himself as General Betcke, and offered the soldier the appointment indicated. Betcke presented him with official papers marked "St:if Office, Imperial Military Forces." He promoted this soldier to the rank of captain, and gave him a letter, which read: -".14/Wl7. To Captain Kennedy, T..C . Dear Sir.—You are promoted to the rank of honorary captain attached to R Battery, R.F.A., also A.D.C. to General Betcke, D.C.M., K.D., from the 1/10/'17." Last month Betcke attended a, military procession in aid of recruiting. This procession was organised by the recruiting officers in the western suburbs. Punctually on the time of assembly Betcke nrrived in the full regalia of a Bri-gadier-General. He headed the march to the Leichhardt Town Hall, and later mingled with the prominent residents present. Betcke has invitation cards printed in gold lettering, as follows: General Betcke, D.0.M., K.D., requests the pleasure of company at a military evening, to be held at A, Harrow road, Stanmore, on Saturday. January 12th. 1918, at 7 p.m. Captain Kennedy, secretary. * On the reverse is printed, Military men in uniform to fall in at Newton Bridge at 0,45 p.m." OPENING- A GARDEN FETE. On the evening of his arrest, November 3, Bectke, aceompanised by liia A.D.C, attended by the special invitation of the committee the opening of a garden fete at Hurstville. Betcke was arrested by the ProvostMarshal Lieutenant E. S. Anderson, Lieutenant Springhalt, and Sergeant Gordon Murdoch, of the Garrison Military Police. When Lieutenant Anderson told Kennedy that Betcke was an imposter Kennedy replied, "Well, I'm jiggered. I got a big enough shock at Gallipoli when u shell buried me, but this is a bigger shock."

When charged with the two offences to-day Betcke pleaded guilty. Sergeant Murdoch stated that Betcke had told him that he. was born in New Zealand, and that he was the adopted son of a full-blooded German, Otto Betcke. Mr. Fanker (for Betcke): ''Have you had him examined mentally!" Witness: "No." "Did he ever try to get money by reason of his imposition?" —''Not so far as I know." "He was only endeavoring to pose as a hero?"—" May be. But he got ft job with the Railway Department on his representation that he was ft returned soldier." Mr. Fanker said that Betcke had a wife and two children. There was a doubt as to the state of Beteke's mind. "It is thn most extraordinary care I ever heard of," concluded the solicitor. Sergeant Murdoch said that Betcke was a very clever electrician.

Finally Mr. Paynten, S.M., remanded Betke for a week for medical observation.