Post by NZBC on Nov 5, 2014 19:32:05 GMT 12
BOGUS SALES TRANSACTED. THEFTS FROM THEIR HUTS. TWO MEN SENT FOR SENTENCE Evidence of systematic victimisation of several Chinese laundrymen and market gardeners in the neighbourhood of Auckland by two young men, named Cecil Love (Mr. thingyson) and George Smith Ormiston (Mr. Ostler), was given in a case heard before Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday. Nine charges were preferred against the two well-dressed young men four referring to their obtaining £18 17s 6d by misrepresentation three to breaking and entering and theft of goods worth £20 13s 6d; and two to simple theft, the amount stolen being £53. Detectives de Norville and Lambert conducted the investigations. Din Lee, laundryman, Jervois Road, Ponsonby, said that on August 4 Love and another man called and said they represented a well-known firm, and had a good' line of starch which had just arrived. Witness agreed to take a cwt at £3 10s, and paid £,5 7s 6d to Love. No starch was delivered. Law Lee, another Ponsonby laundryman, said he agreed to take a box of good cheap starch," and in response to Love's request paid 10s down. Joe Sing, of Albert Street, said he would take three cases of starch at £1 15s a case. After paying Ormiston a deposit of £5, witness heard nothing further. The manager of the firm, accused stated they represented, gave evidence that neither of the accused was in the employ of the firm. Their next customer" was Wah Sung, market gardener, of Mangere, who agreed to take £10 worth of Japanese rice, and gave Love the money in silver. A receipt was all he got in exchange. The following day the two men visited gardens owned by Tom Art and Company at Point Chevalier, and asked Art to buy rice. He refused, and the two men left, going in the direction of Art's house. A little later Art found that a wooden box in his room had been broken open and about £30 in money, including one £20 note, had been stolen. The same day the two accused visited Quee Hong at Panmure and offered him rice. After they had gone, the Chinaman found that £2 10s had been stolen from his house. According to Mong Yee, while working among his vegetables at Tamaki four days later, he noticed that his door, which he had left closed, was standing open. Ormiston, who was standing on the doorstep, offered him rice, but he said he did not want any, and went inside. In a bed- I room he found Love, who, when asked j what he was doing there, said lie -was selling rice. Witness said he did not, want any, and followed the two out. As they reached the gate Ormiston drew a revolver and, poining it at him, said: "If you follow me I'll kill you.' Mong Yee summoned all his fellows and the body of Chinamen chased the two visitors for a mile along the road. On returning home witness found that about £2 in silver had been stolen from a box in his room. Chief Detective McMahon Did you have anything in your hand as you fol. lowed them?— Yes, the big knife I had been cutting my cabbages with. According to Ah Ling, the two accused on November 27 visited his garden at i Panmure. In the evening Ah Ling discovered that one of his boxes had been i smashed open and £23 stolen. That day the two men completed their round. According to Yiu Quen, an emi ployee at Sing Sung's garden at Panmure, they visited his hut, which be had left "securely tied with a string" and removed a box of clothing and books and money, i valued in all at £16 3s 6d. A day or two earlier they bad called with samples of rice. Detective de Norville stated that Love when questioned said he knew nothing of the thefts. Both he and Ormiston were identified at the police station by China, men whom they had defrauded. Witness then went to their office in Wellesley Street, where he found" a bag containing a screw driver, two revolvers, and boxes of ammunition- Detective Lambert gave corroborative evidence. Both accused pleaded guilty and were committed to v the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was refused. New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17344, 16 December 1919, Page 13 paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=NZH19191216.2.108&cl=search&srpos=40&e=-------100--1----0albert+mong--&st=1