MR MORTON, "THE TRAVELLER."

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2185, 10 July 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

MR MORTON, "THE TRAVELLER."

t [^promising young gentleman has been isffeu'ishlng himself again in the capacity whieb^Nature apparently designed him. pillowing is taken from a recent iseue Jheff^uckland Star :— r v«»onable-looking yonnpf mftn namedArthur Morton, but also known by five aliases, was charged with forging and uttering n-cheque for £tt, purporting to be drawn' by H. ft. Birmingham in favour of cash. — G. .I^l Tanteiy license? , of the AVaverlev Hotel, Queen-street, deposed that he re_raeinberfld June 23rd last. Prisoner was in his hotel on that day twice ; first in the morning, and again in the afternoon. He had previously given an order for some liquors, which, on calling the second time, he asked witness to send to Bishop's Court, Parnell. The accused nsked witness to take his cheque, and the latter asked him if it was right. Accused answered that it wa,s perfectly srnod, and then handed him a cheque for £6 signed "H. H. Birmingham." Witness said that he was short of change, but took accused up to the clerk's desk to ascertain if he had change. The clerk said that all the change he had was a£s note- The amount of the accused's account was £2 9s, and accused asked him if he would give him the £5 note, the accused giving the cheque for £5 and another for £1 9s. He signed the secoiid cheque " H. H. Birmingham." The writing is the same on the signature to the cheque for £6.— [Accused here admitted that the" cheques were both written by him.]— Examination continued : The cheques wore taken to the bank next morning by Mr Vialou (his clerk), and returned marked "no account." Witness recognised the letter produced. It was as follows-: — " Auckland, June 24th, 188 G. Mr Panter, Waverley Hotel : Dear sir, you will find the cheques I gave you last evening valueless. I fully believed to have deposited money this morning to protect them,., but am unable to do so; and am at my '^vit's end. Your courtesy to me, a stranger, is ill-requited by such a dirty act. Had It riot been absolutely necessary for me to have the money, I should not have run/such a risk. Of course you will not send the liquors until I make myself square. lam aware that it is a matter which you can hand over to the police if you wish, and can only say — give me a day or two and I will make good. I ask this more on account of my friends than myself. Am trying to raise the money to-day, and will call on you this evening in any case.— Yours, Birmingham."— J. B. Hobart, chief ledfterkeeper in the Bank of New Zealand, deposed to the cheques being presented, and returned marked "No account." Both the signatures were in the same hand-writing. There never was an account in the name of H. H. Birmingham in the bank to his knowledge. The cheque-book from which the cheques were taken was issued to Mr J. Chambers, of T. and S. Morrin and Co. — John Chambers, managing director of the I firm of T. and S. Morrin and Co. (Limited), •■ deposed that this office was at the Com.pany's ironmongery establishment. On the 24th. inst he found that two cheques had been stolen from his cheque-book. The cheques produced are tho cheques stolen. The accused is a perfect stranger to me. — Detective Hughes deposed : On June 12th he was at Mount Eaden Goal. — Accused here protested against the reception of the evidence abo.it to bo given.— The Bench ruled that it was admissible. — Examination continued : On that date the accused was discharged from gaol where he had been incarcerated under the name of Arthur I Morton. — By accused : Witness had reason to believe accused's name was Morton, as he usually went under that name. — Constable Kelly deposed that he had charge of the watch-house when the accused w.is brought in yesterday evening. Witness filled in the usual property-sheet, and the accused signed it "Arthur Morton."— The accused made a statement to the effect that there was no direct evidence that the cheque was forged. He held there was no testimony to prove that H. H. Birmingham was not his name. He could introduce witnesses, even amomr the police, to prove that at different times he had been known by other names, as Birmingham and Morton. On the other hand, if their Worships would look at the definition of the word " forgery," they would find that forgery was not signing the name of another person. He admitted that he had issued a valueless cheque, but he had not committed forgery. — The Bench then committed the prisoner for trial.