WIFE’S TWO DEATHS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 November 1921, Page 10

WIFE’S TWO DEATHS.

A CLEVER SCAMP. A husband who lived on the fictitious funeral expenses of his wife posed as a broken-down journalist, and instead of getting “married” was sentenced to six months’ hard labor, and was severely censured by the Bath Magistrates (says the Sunday Chronicle). Witnesses said that prisoner, William Seymour Willis (thirty-nine), obtained £lO and £5 from the licensee of the Seven Stars public-house, by telling him that he was suddenly bereft of his wife, who had fallen over the cliffs at Torquay. He wanted funeral and travelling expenses. H» told a local hairdresser that his wife had fallen over the cliffs at Ilfracombe. and the hairdresser had advanced him £2. Willis also gained the confidence of ex-soldiers, and by telling them he could find them employment, had extracted £2 from several of them. BLUFFED THE LANDLORD. William John Thomas Veale. licensee of the Seven Stars. Redcliff, said W'illis seemed so overcome with grief that witness caught hold of his arm to prevent him from swooning, and assisted him into the private room. He began to cry, and witness fetched him soda water and offered him brandy, but he declined the latter, having a little milk instead. He told a pitiful story of the circumstances under which he had lost his wife. She was, he said, petting on quite nicely, but when out for a walk was taken giddy and fell over.the cliff, sustaining such serious injuries that she died the following day. He represented that he had a little money, but insufficient to meet the burial expenses, and asked witness if he knew anyone to whom he could sell his furniture.

He said he was deficient £5 to meet the actual burial expenses, outside the money it would cost to take him to the South Devon coast and bring him back. Ten pounds, he hinted, would cover the expenses. He was in such a state of nervousness that he could not draft out the J.O.U. for £lO witness advanced him. Witness’s wife made, out the document, and Willis signed it. The man left, but four days later returned, ostensibly from Torquay. To witnes he soulfully remarked: “I put her away, and have come I»ack with 2|d. I don’t know bow I shall carry on. 1 have mv rent and societies to pay. etc. On August 1 he intimated that he would draw a month’s salary ( £3«). and promised to refund the money then. “Mv heart completely went out ior »«». fw I have B,vK •••“ auch a

cleverly worked game in my life,” remarked Veale. who let Willis have another five guineas, and invited him to come to the house just to “buck him up a bit.” LEFT NOT TO RETURN. He left, as they thought, to go to work, but he did not return, and none of the money had been repaid. Detective-Sergeant Griffiths, who stated that Willis’s wife was still alive, i said that at Knowle he posea as a G.P.O. foreman of telephones, and lodged with a widow. He asked for £l, saying that he did not have enough money to pay the men. Willis had been walking about with a young woman in Bristol, whom he told he would get a divorce from his wife. About a fortnight ago he appeared wearing black bands round his arm and hat. declaring that his wife was dead, and that it would therefore not be necessary to take divorce proceedings. The young woman, accordingly got her bridal dress prepared, and, indeed, was to have been married that day at Bath. Willis had posed as a broken-down journalist. He fell down in the street, and said that while he was unconscious someone stole his watch and money. A friend let him have Cl-». and he also borrowed £5 from another person. Prisoner pleaded guilty, and the chairman of the Bench, sentencing him, told him: “You are a clever, unmitigated scamp/