Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

11 articles on this Page

Begging Imposture at Rhyl.

News
Cite
Share

Begging Imposture at Rhyl. UNAUTHORISED USE OF A MINISTER'D NAMIR A PLAUSIBLE OFFENDER SENT TO PRISON. On Friday afternoon, there was a very ex- citing scene at Wellington-road, when Police Constables Roberts, Foulkes, and Da-vies had to use their combm'd efforts to secure the arrest of Thomas Barker Ellis. a plasterer, of Wel- lington-tenraoe, and son of a forme,r chairman of the Rhyl Improvement) Commissioners. He was arrested on e- charge of collecting alms by false pretences. On Saturday, he was brought up before Messrs R. M. Hugh Jones (presiding), Mr J. H. Ell's, and Mr G. A. Ta vomer, but as the Rev. S. T. Jones, Calvi- nietic Methodist -iister, Ckvyd-svreet, Rhyl, was unable to Attend through a bad cold, In- spector Pearson Mked for a remand, as the rev, gentleman was the principal witness. The defendant afked for a doctor to examine him, alleging th-->.t he had been illtreated by DO police. Inspector Pearson said it was untrue to say tha.t he was illtroated- As a matlcr of fact the. defendant nad illtreat.e.d the officers and could be charged with assault.' He would ar- range for a doctor to eee the defendant, who was then remanded. On Monday, tte 6efenda.n,t was again brought up in custody, <-1 d pleaded not guilty to the charge. The police produced the following appeal written on a sheet of foolscap pap^r. It was found on the defendant when he was arrested: "To whomsoever it may interest, Thomas Barker Ellis, on of the la.te Thomas Ellis, builder, has been in illhealth for the last two years, unable to do aaiv kind of work, having to submit to two operations during that period, fche complaint "'been" anneri&m. Through been ill so long he has been brought to a state of poverty. This appeal is made on his behalf so he may be able to get work- ing clothes and tools as ho is u able to do anything without the articles mentioned. He has a wife and two children. Hope you will be kind enough to give the case your full sympathy as he is very weakly.—(Signed) Rev- S. T. Jones. The cost of clothes and tools will be £ 2." The Rev. S. T. Jones said he knew the de- fendant two or three years ago, but he never signed the appeal, nor <iiid ne authorise defendant to use his name. He believed that the defendant did appeal to him two or three ytea-rs ago, but he 'had seen nothing of him ainoe. Mr J. H. Ellis: Did you ever give him any- thing. Mr Jones?-kes, two or th.ee ycare ago, I gave him something. Defendant added that the Rev. S. T. Jones told him he oould use his name. Mrs Long, of tie Westminster Hotel, stated that the defeaidajnt called at the hotel on Thursday evening and produced the paper. On the strength tbati it v." as c.n appeal signed by a well-known, minister and that ether well- known persons had subscribed, sho gave the &fenja,nb Is. Mr R. B. Arnold, draper, Que.en's-square, said that on Friday afternoon the defendant called at his shop and asked ior help, producing the paper alleged to have 'been signed by the Rev. S. T. Jones. Witness de- cline.d to help him, whereupon defendant at once bocame impudent, and said that people should holp a n-iam whem he was down instead of keeping him down. Ho noticed that the de- fendant was smelling very strongly of spirits. P.C. Owen stated that he followed the de- fendant to the Birmingham Arms, and found that he had called for a glass of beer. He charged him with collecting alIDB, but ho denied it, and refused to go to the police station. Defendant began to swear, and tried to eecapo through the back way. Witness pre- vented him. and a struggle ensued, during which efendant kicked witness thre.,a times. P.S. Roberts and P.O. D-avies were scait for by the landlady, and defendant was band- cufied and carried to the potlioe station. Cross-examined Witness said defendant was drunk, but had not been served at the Bir- mingham Arms. P.S. Roberts said he had known the defend- ant for two years, and at one time he went about, on a crutch, but he had been all right for many months. He got his living by begging, and the police had received numerous complaints. Defendant was not married, and he bad no children as stated in the appeal. He easAstod to arrest the defendant on Friday, QNA he WRS very violent. At the poiioe station oi he was charged with collecting alms bv faiee pretences, but he made no reply. He objected to be searched. In his pocket was found tho appeal alleged to have been signed by the Rev. S. T. Jones and several blank sheets of similar paper. Defendant was the most violent ma.n he had ever seen at the police station. Defendant alleged that he was struck with the handcuff, and that a constable knelt on his chest. P.S. Roberts denied this. Mr S. Perks, J.P., said thai his name ap- peared on the list for 2s 6d, but he neither gigned the paper nor gave the defendant 2s 6d. Defendant called on him several months ago, and ho gave him a small sum, but not 2s 6d. Defendant here said that Mr Porks gave him a shilling when ho was trying to get into the Convalescent Home. He did sign Mr Perks' name to the sheet as well as the names of other well-known people as he foltl it would get him what ho needed. Mr B. Griffiths said he was a member of the firm of Messrs Griffiths and Son, whose name appeared on the list for 4-s, but neither his fathicir nor himserif ever gave the defendant that amount or signed the paper. Replying to the Chairman, the defendant said he underwent an operation two years last February and a second one twelve months ago. He was pretty well now, and had signed Rev. S. T. Jones' name without his authority, although Mr Jones onoe told him that he ootlld use his name. It was also true that he not have a wife or two children, but he did not look upon that as a very eerious offence. He would leave himself on the mercy of the court as he had had a very bad time. If the Bench would be lenient he promised never to offend again. The Bench having decided to convict the de- fendant. Dr. A. Eyton Lloyd said be was called to too pouoe station om Saturday as the defendant wished to seo a medical man. He alleged that he had boon assaulted by the polioo officers, but there was no evidence of such a thuinr having taken place. Defendant also alleged that his hand was crushed, and that he was generally Liltreated, but he failed to find any trace of it. Ihore was no evidence of the defendant suffering from th? effects of the Operation and ho could do work. He knew the aeiOndant quite well, and last May he was malingering in tho Convalescent Home, but he (Dr- Lloyd) refused to retain him there, and marched him out. Inspector Pearson said that the defendant 4ad a vary bad record, At the age of 17 years he was char-roc! with a frinnnnT "ff",l1An "4. Defendant: But I was acquitted of that. Inspector Pearson added that the defendant had been before the court for drunkenness, and 1I'hilc abroad had a vetrv bad character. The Chairman said the Bench felt that it was a very bad case, and that defendant was a. ^wig-erous character. He would go to jail for two months with haord labour. .inspector Pf arson thanked Mr Arnold for giving the polloo the information as they had øót been ahlebefc-re to catch the defondant with the paper m his possession The Bench aJN:I thanked all the witn-esscs for their aseistanoe.

CRUEL HEADACHES.

Advertising

--------------.---------------------------"…

Llandudno Charity Association

OBSTINATE RINGWORM. --

SPORT AND PASTIME,

REPRODUCTION OF CELEBRATED…

----------------------'I The…

LLANDUDNO CAB STANDS.

Advertising