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NEW ZEALANDER ROBBED BY CONFIDENCE TRICKSTER . . ft SEQUEL TO ALLEGED GAMBLE IN FRANCS MYSTERIOUS “MR A” DISAPPEARS (United Press Assn. —Copyright.) LONDON, Jan. 18. Barclay, otherwise Breariey, charged with conspiracy, to rob a New Zealander, Janies jneetor .>jc.iva.., was discharged, the Crown Prosecutor not offering evidence. - The x jrosecu tor announced that Mason was pleading guilty to stealing two of McKay’s bank notes of •jIOO and £SOO respectively. There were strong reasons for proceeding with these charges although they only represented a small proportion. A a big fraud. / According to the prosecutor, Monroe, a wealthy Queenslander, met McKay on board ship en route from. New Zealand, to San Francisco, in May, 1926. Barclay was aiso on too ship and the three soon established a close friendship. The seed was carefully sown for six months, iliey pa.ced 'in Los Angeles, tut foregathered at London. Then, after a trip to the Riviera, Mason one day in November accompanied McKay to Cornhill, where he pointed out a man whom the prosecutor regretted was not in custody. He was actually a eo-con-spirator in the fraud. Mason introduced McKay, saying “A” had just made £250,000 on the stock exchange. “Mr A” invited Mason and McKay to join in a speculation in francs. The Crown Prosecutor said: “It seems ridiculous nonsense; showing the gullibility of human nature is infinite, but then and there McKay and Mason signed documents instructing the ‘lnternational Exchange’ to invest £15.000 apiece. Fifteen minutes later “Air A” reported they had won £33,000, but could not obtain the money until all three had shown their ability to bear a loss. McKay thereupon drew £15,000 from the bank. “Air A” produced what appeared to be £7OOO in notes, and Alason similarly £BO9O which Alason took to show the manager cf the mythical exchange. When Mason returned he said he would take and put the whole profits, including AlcKav’s security of £15.000 into a new gamble. Naturally this was 'he end of the matter. “AlcKay” continued the Crown Prosecutor, “was furious at .Mason's unauthorised action. Alason and ‘Mr A’ promised to put things right, and disappeared. Later ‘Air A’ by means of telegrams, decoyed AlcKay to Paris, then to Alilan, and tried to entice him to Alexandria, but McKay was ill and gave up the pursuit. He returned to London and informed the police. The cotes specified had been cashed.”
Alason, from the dock, said: “The temptation was too great for me’ ’. The Crown Prosecutor said Alason had a bad record. He was a wellknown confidence trickster. The magistrates, in sentencing him to one year’s gaol with hard labor, said the limitation of the charge may
The Crown Prosecutor said Alason had a bad record. He was a wellknown confidence trickster. The magistrates, in sentencing him to one year’s gaol with hard labor, said the limitation of the charge may have been due to Alason's youth K or perhaps it had been assumed that he was acting as an agent for a more exnerienced criminal.
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Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10310, 20 January 1927, Page 5
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502TAKEN DOWN Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10310, 20 January 1927, Page 5
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