A SINGULAR CASE.
WOMAN CHARGED WITH FORGERY. HUSBAND ALLEGED INSTIGATOR. By Telegraph.—rress Association. Wellington, April 1. Her counsel, Mr. Treadwell, intimated to Mr. Page, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday that he intended to set up a plea under the Special Defences Act in connection with seven charges against a young woman Grace Smith, for forging and uttering orders of withdrawal from the post oflice savings bank. It was alleged that Smith appropriated the deposit books of the people defrauded, fdled in withdrawal slips and secured in all a total of £lO2 10s. When inquiries were being made by the police the woman disappeared, and not until December last was she located at Palmerston North, where she was working in a boarding-house under the name of Mrs. Olga Graham. She then made a full confession of the offences. Mr. Treadwell said the circumstances were so singular that he desired to place them before his Worship immediately, so that in the interim before the trial they could be verified. On September 7, 1910, accused married Robert Smith, but shortly afterwards the latter was called up for active service. Later, he deserted and it was not until October, 1018, that his wife met hi® in Wellington. He then demanded money. She gave him all she possesses, but he threatened to break her neck unless she gave him more. He next directed her to purloin 'the bank deposit books, and under dire threats, accused did so, after which her husband took her to the bank and forced her to secure the money. Not a penny of the proceeds was retained by accused. In the time between the commission of the offences she was often accosted by her husband, who threatened to take her life if she divulged a word of what was going on. On one occasion he struck at her, but missing her objective hit accused's three-weeks'-old baby.
Counsel then put in a statement which accused signed in the Magistrate's presence. A plea of not guilty was entered, and Smith was committed to the Supreme Court for trial
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Taranaki Daily News, 3 April 1920, Page 6
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346A SINGULAR CASE. Taranaki Daily News, 3 April 1920, Page 6
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