CRUEL DECEPTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1920, Page 5

CRUEL DECEPTION.

WORKED ON A WOMAN,

CHEATED OF HER SAVINGS.

Charles Henderson (34), who cane tie*' fore Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M., in Auck. land, on charges of having obtained £195 by false pretences, put in a bright aid busy three weeks in the city r.t Christmas time (says the Auckland Star). He arrived here in the middle of December, and put up. at a lodging-house in Hob. son street, and in three weeks' time he had become engaged to his landlady, and borrowed £195 off her. A few days later ho left "to see how his farm Was getting on," and the ladvlady was left lamenting of a lover, and also'of Her money. The defrauded and disillusioned lady, Hannah Donnelly, told the Court that soon after Henderson, who then called himself Charles Clarence Berryman, took a room at her place, he got ill. She took his meals to him, and thej became friendly, and were eventually engaged, Berryman mentioning that he had spoken to a clergyman to make arrangements for the wedding. Among other things accused confided to her that he and another man had a partnership in a farm in the Waikato, which they were about to sell for £2BOO. Taylor wai, he said, managing the farm, and he showed her letters and telegrams which indicated that he had a farm near Hamilton,, a, partner, and a big account at the bank at Hamilton. When they had become engaged ho borrowed off her SIOO 'to complete a cattle deal, as he had not time to draw the cash from the. Hamilton bank, and a day or two later she got a £35 engagement ring from him. Within the next week he had borrowed sums'of . £3i>, of £2O and of £4O to carry out sheep and other deals, and then he arranged to take her to the farm. The visit was put. off for a day or two, and he showed her an urgent wire purporting to come from his partner, exhorting him to get to the fnrm to attend to the stock as the sender was sick. He l*ft for the farm, and disappeared until'he was dug up, nearly a month later, in the city by Detective McHugb. ■ The detective found that the man's real nam* was Henderson, that he had no farm, ao partner, and no cash, and the only sar4i< faction the lady could get would be that: of seeing him punished. Henderson pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court fo* mail tence.