AN ECHO OF THE DRUCE CASE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2214, 11 June 1908, Page 2

AN ECHO OF THE DRUCE CASE.

RETURN OF,„THE DETECTIVES. THIS MISS HAMILTON PERJURY CASE. . - (Special to “Times”.) WELLINGTON, June 10. Shortly after the s.s. Papanui from London hitched up at the wharf today, two big well-known, well-set-iip men, quietly dressed and quiet in demeanour, walked down the gangway and went on to report themselves at headquarters in the Govern- 1 ment buildings. They were .Detectives Kennedy and Eide. who went Home to give evidence in the Miss Robinson perjury case. _ Later in the afternoon I had a brief interview with them. They were somewhat reticent in talking about themselves or their trip, as .they were not in search of newspaper publicity, - but in the course of general conversation I was able to .glean a few p irticulars of interest. It apmears that, Mrs. Robinson ca.me to New Zealand about the year 1873, and' eventually settled with her husband and family .at AYaimate, where she resided for several years. The husband was for many years a butcher in AYaimate. He died there, and afterwards his widow shifted to Tinriru, and then to Christchurch. After seeing an advertisement bearing on the Druce case in Lloyd’s newspaper, she went Home, and, on landing, was met bv a, lawyer who told her to make some sort of a sensation so that those interested might get money from tthc subscribers to the company that was exploiting fih-e Druce eise." She tb>ld her sensational story, and the result was that the necessary money to further prosecute -the -ease came pouringv in. /Bo effec-' tive was the .plan that one man alone contributed £IO,OOO. Scotland Yard then set to work to solve the problem as to whether or not she was' a genuine witness. She travelled with, her daughter, who , posed as her maid, under the name of Maud O’Neil, On arriving in alleged that she had been robbed on the New Zealand boat. Inspector Dinnie, hearing of this alleged robbery, instructed tbe New Zealand detectives to make inquiries, and as the result of.these inquiries, ft. was ascertained that Miss Robinson’s Story was not a true one, and Scotland Yard was Unformed. They made some further inquiries, and asked that the,New Zealand detectives should be sent Home to give evidence in the case of perjury against 1 the now famous Miss Robinson. In due course the two detectives arrived in London, and both gave evidence in the case before the lower Court. The greatest interest was taken in tile proceedings. There was, however, no necessity to hear the case in the higher Court, for Miss Robinson, on being confronted with the two New Zealand detectives, and finding out that thej r knew so much about her antecedents, deckled to plead guilty, and thus it was that the great Druce cage bubble, was burst. At the conclusion of the case in the Lower Court, the Magistrate, Sir Henry Do Rutzen,, called the two New Zealand detectives forward and in the presence of Sir H. Matthews, who prosecuted on behalf of the Crown, complimented them upon the excellent and 1 straight-forward manner in which they had given tlieir evidence.

For the rest the two detectives sa w all they could at way ports and in London regarding Hie most up-to-dato police and detective methods. They were struck with the marvellous manner in vhicli the London traffic was controlled by the police there, and the Scotland Yard authorities wont out of their way to show the New Zealanders all they could. The opportunity thus afforded was readily availed' of, and no doubt the experience gained will :be of advantage to the • Dominion. On the whole, however, it would seem that the system of dealing with crime and criminals is quite up to date in every respect. '

Detectives Kennedy and Fade are also loud in their praises of the great kindness shown them bv tlieir brethren in 'Hobart during their brief stay in that city. Both detectives left for Christchurch' in the Monowai last evening.