CONFESSIONS IN A GIRL’S DIARY.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1922, Page 11

CONFESSIONS IN A GIRL’S DIARY.

INFATUATED WITH A YOUNG CRIMINAL. Extracts from the diary and correspondence of a girl of eighteen, describing what she called a “damn fine time’ in Margate, wefe read at the Old Bailey. The girl in question, Minnie Florence Archer, was charged with attempted blackmail. It was explained that she wished to obtain £lO for the defend of a criminal with whom she had associated, and that to get this sum she sent a letter to Georges Wirz, chef, demanding £lO with menaces. She alleged that Wirz had carried on with another girl—an allegation which, her counsel said, was without foundation, afld which she unreservedly withdrew.

A police witness stated that Archer was a well-educated girl, who became infatuated with a plausible young criminal, Leonard Fredericks, now serving nine months for fraud. In a letter from a Margate hotel in August she wrote to a girl friend: Married on Monday and came down to 1\ lar gate. Having a damn fine time. We came down with £’27 and now have 1/4. Len has gone out for the night to win a motor cycle. We have two lovely rooms overlooking the sea. Living ten-, free, too. Cunning rogues, aren’t we? Witness, who added that I 1 redeiic.<» had posed as Lord Hill and Lord Lee, handed up two diaries kept by Archer. Mr. Justice Darling read the following extract: — November 8, 1919.—Heard from Bil’y and met him in the evening. Went to Victoria and got drunk. "Witness understood that Billy was a married man. In another letter from a boardinghouse in Norfolk she wrote: I have got a chap down here, and it is wicked to see how he throws his money about. lam sick to death of chocs and ices. Last night W. and I got half-way home and then went to sleep on the beach, urunk as lords. Mr Purchase, for the defence, said Archer was not married to Fredericks, but that “accomplished scoundrel in dueed her to try to get money to defend him. She had no idea that she was committing a grave offence. In binding defendant over, Mr. Justice Garlimr saidl—“Your diary shows that everv "night and every day that yon could get away you were oft to dancing saloons, fancy dress halls and frivolity of that sort. You got d nk twice with men, and you. must har e known the character of hrederieks. 1 have very little hope of you.