A REMARKABLE CRIMINAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1919, Page 5

A REMARKABLE CRIMINAL.

THE AXCONIA CASE. John C. Harrison, the Anconia sleep clip man, ha* had a remarkable career. It was stated by his counsel in Auckland that he was a man of mental attainments considerably beyond the ordinary. Up to 1910 he'was a bookmaker f very great note in Australia, and as sicli he had made more than one for* limp. Once when hi* premises were raided, he had £40,000 to bis credit with the bank, and on another occasion ho had had £30,000. In 11)13, just m iie was about to go on a tour of the world, ho was forbidden the use of the mails, and though this would have juatifiVd him in cancelling all his debt* of honor, he paid everybody in full, to the extent of £15,000. ' Harrison,, on bis return to Australia in IfllO, applied for help to a man whom he had given Jargw sums *n the past, the son of his adoptive mother. This man gave him £45 in notes, amongst which seven were forced. He innocently psid debts with these, and Was arrested in Melbourne as a result. To defend himself ho would have had to denounce the man who passed as his brother, and this he would not do. Ho escaped to Perth, was re-arfested, broke gaol twice, and the second lime, though he had never ridden a bicycle before, got possession of one, and made the jturney of 2000 miles across the desert to Adelaide Tor two years ho endeavored to esctpe from Australia, and eventually he did So. He reached New Zealand with his wife and child, and set himself to earn what money he could. When he had obtained some ready cash he got away to Vancouver for. the purpose of obtaining certain special treatment. While in Canada He learned that the man who had grreh him the forged notes had turned Kinjfs evidence, with the result that his accomplices in the forgeries were given long terms.

Hon. J. 'A. Tole, in reply, said that "Harrison was undoubtedly a clever and dangerous criminal. He had admitted, since his conviction, that he was tile son of a man named Tighe. at one ttoio manager of the Institute for the Blinft at Auckland, who was disqualified ui.der the trotting rules a number of rears aeo for "rinfrinp in" a horse, with the assistance, of his son. There was abjb proof that under the ffame of "J.Q. Blair" lie worked a sheep dip fraud at Toswich, in Queensland, cnllin? tlie dfl> '■'doncnater." and savin" that he represented a firm named "Murray, Carson, and Co." Though the Crown had not sought to prove nil the frauds against Him. it wis known that when he left Auckland for Vancouver he had obtain. Ed shout £IOOO by means of "Anconia" dip. TJio three Australian police officer* who had -riven ovldenc it the trial wers ca"ed. and -rave d-tail* nf TTnrriar.n', career as a bookmaker, and of the v nT \. ' ous charges n«am°t him. One of these was of oMiinir..-* menev hr'menhh of . fnked snTnvii, c limvid for f n ,; t tr(yi , ■ . , fere ,, tl , „ (1i „ M1 ,5 "Mcnno." Thnv said th«* hj„ „.„. „ nn„fi,Tence man. and the associaU s o! confidence men. . »« . ■