ACTRESS IN THE DOCK.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1921, Page 6

ACTRESS IN THE DOCK.

VICTORIA MONKS CHARGED.

ALLEGED THEFT OF JEWELS.

London, June 8. Victoria Monks, a noted music-hall performer, was charged, in conjunction with Arthur Simmonds, at. the Bow Street Police Court to-day, with having stolen arid received a lady’s dressingcase containing jewellery worth £l5OO. The police prosecutor, who described the case as a story of drunkenness and debauchery, said that Simmonds came from Canada early in the war and served in the army. He began to cohabit with Monks in December, and spent all his substance upon her. lie was part of tho flotsam and jetsam of the wai, addicted to drugging and habitual drunkenness. A lady left a dressing-case in a taxicab outside a club in Burlington Gardens on December 20. Monks sent a maid to a Tottenham Coiyt Road pawnbroker on December 23 with portion of the missing jewellery and ob' tained an advance of £7O.

The police questioned Monks at a music-hall at Birkenhead, when she was wearing a necklace which was part of the stolen jewellery. Monks said that a Canadian millionaire, meaning Simmonds, had given it to her. The police lecided that the evidence did not justify her arrest, but the Daily Mail said that Monks had been arrested. Monks started a libel action against the newspaper, which, however, was settled immediately. the Daily Mail paying her £lOOO. Simmonds quarrelled with Monks in February, and made an affidavit accusing Monks of paying a detective £2OO out of the £lOOO she received from the Daily Mail. The Home Secretary thereupon ordered the re-opening of inquiries. The police found several missing witnesses. Monks, when said, “I have nothing to fear.’’ The case was adjourned for a weekj Monks being allowed bail in £lOOO.