A BOGUS RECEIPT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2326, 20 October 1908, Page 6

A BOGUS RECEIPT.

CHARGE OF FORGERY.

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE.

At the Police Court yesterday morning before (Mr AY. A. 'Barton, S.M., Victor iMnnn was charged with having on June 20th forged the name of Mr Hodgen to a document to act a receipt. The charge arose out of tlie ■recent horse-stealing ease, - when accused -was admitted to- probation: Sergt. Hutton conducted the prosecution, and accused was represented by Air 4A r . L. Rees. Sydney Rawle, detective, said that on September 20th, he-caw accused at his house in Mangapapa, with reference to a horse which had been reported stolen, and which had been found in accused’s possession, and which was the property of T. R. Lees, Te Arai. In reply to a question accused stated that'he had purchased the horse from a man named Mick Hodgen, whom he described, for £lO, and that he held his receipt. On that date accused produced the receipt, and witness '.got him to write out a receipt in the same words. On 27th September, Sergeant Hutton and witness" questioned the accused as to the genuineness of the receipt shown to witness ,and he (accused) made a long statement acknowledging that it was not a genuine receipt.

Thos. Rowley Lees, eheepfarmer, Te Arai, said that on the 6th of June he left his horse in Daulton’s paddock at Te Arai. Next morning the horse was missing and the gates were still phut. On iSeptember 10th he saw his horse in Mr Larnach’s paddock, and later on mot Mr Larnach and the accused. Witness told the former that his (witness) lidrpe was in tlie paddock. Accused volunteered the statement that the horse belonged to him and that he had bought it from a man, whom he described, for £lO. .About three weeks later 'accused went to witness’ place at Te Arai and said that the,, police were quite satisfied that he had bought the horse, but. had. en formed him that he was entitled t 0 recover half of the purchase money from witness. Witness then told him tbit he (witness) would see that he did not lose the whole amount, hut could do nothing until ho heard from the Police. Accused handed over the horse without any trouble.

This closed the evidence for the •prosecution.'

Accused, who .pleaded guilty, was committed for sentence to the next sittings of the Supreme Court to he held in Gisborne. Bail was allowed accused in £SO and two sureties of £25. ’ " -. ' - .A .