FORGERY AND UTTERING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3088, 9 January 1909, Page 5

FORGERY AND UTTERING.

A MARTINBO ROUGH CASE. ACCUSED PLEADS GUILTY. David Herbert Carvosso, alias Carver, appeared before Mr W. P. James, S.M., at the Masterton Police Court yesterday morning charged with having on the 4th December forged the name of John Mac Donald to a cheque for £lO 10s, and with uttering the same to the W.F.C.A. at Martinborough on December 23rd, obtaining goods by means of the same. Accused was not represented by counsel. Sergeant Miller stated that inquiries made had elicited that no such person as John Mac Donald has an account with the bank at Masterton. Alfred A. Rebay, licensee of the Mauriceville Hotel, said accused came to stay at his hotel early in December. On December 4th he borrowed a blank cheque from witness, saying he had an account in the bank at Wellington. Witness was given back the cheque signed by accused in payment of his hotel expenses, this proving to be valueless. (Accused was dealt with in connection with thi offence at Wellington). Witness gave accused another blank cheque, that croduced, accused ■saying he wanted it for another purpose.

Frank L. Turley, assistant grocer at the W.F.C.A. at Martinborough, said accused came into the W.F.C.A. premises on December 23rd, and purchased goods to the value of 8s 9d, tendering the cheque produced in payment. Accused was told that the cheque would have to be held until Monday. Accused said John Mac Donald was a farmer between Masterton and Eketahuna, and said the cheque would be found to be all right. The bank returned the cheque marked "no account." A mate of accused's called for the change, accused having been arrested meanwhile.

Frank de Lisle, clerk at the Bank of New Zealand at Masterton, said the cheque did not contain the name of any person having an account at the Bank. There was a station manager with an account there with a similar name, but the surname was spelt slightly differently. Constable Warneford, of Martinborough, deposed that he arrested accused, who, the day after his arrest, volunteered to make a statement concerning the crime, and after setting out how he came by the cheque, intimated that he intended to plead guilty. Accused then handed up a written statement to the Bench, in which he said that he did not know John McDonald had an account at the bank, and further that he intended tu go to work the day he was arrested and earn enough to pay the W.F.C.A. the price of the goods and then get the cheque back. He also asked for leniency!

At the conclusion of the evidence accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence. His Worship told accused that any requ. si for leniency would have to be addressed to the Judge before whom he came.