CASHING CHEQUES.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1922, Page 4

CASHING CHEQUES.

A PLAUSIBLE TRAVELLER. FORGERY AND FALSE PRETENCES. A plea of guilty to two charges of forgery and false pretences was entered by Alfred Joseph Vance Ryan at the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court on Saturday. According to the evidence, accused worked quite systematically, his usual procedure being to obtain a blank cheque form from one hotel-keeper and cash it with another. Messrs. H. R. Cattley and A. R. Davis, J.’sP., were on the bench. The case for the police was conducted by DetectiveSergeant J. Cooney, whilst the accused was defended by Mr. L. M. Moss. The charges against Ryan were:—(l) On or about July 11, 1922, at 'New Plymouth, with intent to defraud, he did forge the name of J. C. Logan to it cheque on the Bank of Australasia, Auckland, for £l2, and uttered the said cheque to Edward McGinty; (2) that on or about July 4, 1922, at New Plymouth, with intent to defraud, did forge the name of E. J. Davis to a cheque on the Union Bank of Australia, Auckland, for £2O, and uttered the said cheque to one Edwin Whittle.

Both these charges were taken together. Outlining the case, the detective said accused booked a room at the Red House Hotel on July 3, saying he was a soft goods traveller from Auckland. On the following day he presented a cheque for £2O, drawn on the Union Bank of Australia, Auckland, in the name of E. J. Davis. The. barman changed the cheque for Ryan, who aaid he had to get away to Hawera in a hurry. On July 11 he presented a cheque for £l2 on the Bank of Australasia. Auckland, sig flbd : by J. C. Logan, but the cheque was returned, as there was no iccount in that name.

Mr. Moss intimated his intention of retiring, as lie had advised accused how to plead. This course was agreed to. Edward D. Whittle, son of the licensee of the Red House Hotel, gave corroborative evidence.

William Burns, barman at the Red House Hotel, gave evidence as to giving Ryan £2 ]os. Ryan had asked where “Ted” (Mr. Whittle, junr.) was, and, when told he had gone out, he appeared content, as he said he had just given Whittle a cheque to cash, and now would have to get away immediately and a car was waiting at the door for him. Ryan then asked if witness could give him £5 on the cheque, to which witness replied that he had not £5, but had only £2 10s, which accused said would do, and this was given him. The money belonged to the house. THE TELLER’S TALE. Robert G. Macaulay, formerly teller at the Bank of New Zealand, where Mr. Whittle, senr.jhad a banking account, said he thought the writing on the body of the cheque produced, the signature, and the endorsement, had been done by the same person. The cheque was returned from the Union Bank, Auckland, marked “No account at the U.8.A., Auckland.” In his opinion the writing on the cheque of the Bank of Australasia was the same as that on the other cheque. T. A. Ambrose, teller at the Union Bank of Australia, said he had given a blank cheque to Ryan, who stated that he had an account with the bank, producing documentary evidence to show that E. J. Ryan was keeping an account with the bank in Auckland. The man stated that he had run out of cheque forms, one of which he wanted in order to nay his board. Alfred E. Gray, clerk in the Union Bank at Auckland, said’the cheque produced had been presented at the bank at Auckland, but had been returned, as there was no account in the name of E. J. Davis. Witness vouchsafed thsame opinion concerning the handwriting on the cheques as had been made by a previous witness. FREIGHT ON SAMPLES. Edward McGinty, licensee of tne Grosvenor Hotel, said accused came into the hotel office on July 11 to .book accommodation for himself and his brother. He produced a cheque for £l2 in payment. The cheque was drawn on the Bank of Australasia and signed by J. C. ‘Logan. Witness said Logan was a member of the firm of Mackay, Logan and Caldwell, Ltd., and gave his own name as O’Brien. Accused said he wanted money to pay for the freight on his goods, as he was a commercial traveller. Witness advanced the man £2. This cheque was returned by the bank, marked “No account.” Eric R. Jury, licensee of the Rahotu Hotel, said accused came to the hotel during July last and obtained a Bank of Australasia 'blank form from witness, who produced the butt in his cheque b ™ Robert T. McQuade, New Plymouth manager for Mackay, Logan and Caldwell, Ltd., said Mr. .James Logan, of the firm, had been dead about sixteen years. The firm s bank was the Bank of New Zealand. Colin McK. King, clerk in the Bank ot Australasia, Auckland, said the cheque (produced), drawn on that bank, had been returned marked “No account in the name of J. C. Logan/’ This concluded the evidence in connection with these two charges. ANOTHER CHEQUE CASHED. A further charge was made against the accused that, on July 6, 1922, at Hawera, he did obtain the sum of £-1 by means of a false pretence, viz., a valueless cheque drawn on the Bank of New Zealand at Auckland, and signed E. G. Ryan. Wm. Jury, licensee of the Egmont Hotel. Hawera, deposed that accused came to his hotel on July 5, saying he was a soft goods commercial traveller. He booked accommodation and said he was expecting samples in a day or two. On July 6 the accused presented a cheque which he asked witness to cash, the cheque being drawn for £2O on the Bank of New Zealand. Auckland, in the name of A. .1. Ryan. The cheque was endorsed E. J. Ryan. On the representations made, witness cashed the_ cheque. The cheque was not -sent on at the time, but was handed to the police later and was returned from Auckland marked “No account.” |R. L. Avery, licensee of the Manaia Hotel, Manaia, said that accused had come to his hotel on July 6 and obtained a blank Bank of New Zealand cheque from him. The butt of the cheque witness produced from lus cheque book. As Ryan was with several commercial travellers whom witness knew he took it for granted that it would be quite all right to give him a form. , „ , Reginald A. Berry, clerk in the Bank sf N«w Z»alM>d, ®s4d tbero

was no account with that bank in the name of A. J. Ryan. The writing on the body of the cheque, the signature and the endorsement, were, in his opinion, that of the same person. “NOTHING TO SAY.” Detective-Sergeant Cooney produced a doctor’s certificate to show that h- • • Davis was unable to travel to New lly mouth to give evidence. Arousedl had told witness that he would plead guilty to the three charges, the written confession being handed in. In reply to the usual questions, accused said he had nothing to say. He would plead guilty to all the charges, but he did not consider it forgery. However, to save time and trouble he would plead guilty. Accused was committea to Auckland for sentence.