The Welsh Coast Pioneer and Review for North Cambria

Extraordinary Swindling Case at Rhyl. Magisterial Proceedings This Morning. The Experiences of Rhyl Ladies. Commending the Police. [BY OUR OWN REPORTER.] THIS (Thursday) mom in a, at the Rhyl Police Court, before Mr S. Perks (presiding) and Mr. J. Fowlfces, Charles Lewis, alias Charles Williams, hit: of 4, William-street, Rhyl, was brought up in custody on remand charged with having obtained by false pretences from Mrs Lucas. Churton Villa School, Rhyl, the sum of 3s, with intent to cheat and de- fraud her of the same. The Court was filled with a large number of fashionably-attired ladies who apparently enjoyed the, to them, novel proceedings. From the evidence they appear to have fallen eisy victims to the ingenious and suave-mannered individual. Prisoner, who seemed to feel his position keenly, had a stubby gro.vth on his chin, the result of a week's incarceration in Ruthin gaol. During the evidence he his head clown and scarcely took any interest in the proceedings. The evidence of P8. MacWalters, which was given at the first hearing on Thursday last, was read over. It related to his apprehension of the prisoner at Llanduduo under a warrant, and that whilst on the journey back to Jhyl, Williams con- fessed to the fraud, and said that what he had told them there was not correct; that his brother was in America, and that he had not seen him for some months. Lwt of Victims.; "This morning," continued the witness, "I read out to the prisoner the following names of I persons from whom he had obtained money since 'May the lIth :MTS Adams, Conway street, is 6d; Miss E. Ley, Elwy Hall School, s; Miss Rees, St. Oswald's School, 6s; Miss Lonsdale, 33; Rev T. Lloyd, Vicarage, 33; Dr Hutton, 4s 6d; 'Mr Beattie, Epworth College, 3s; Mrs Henry Foulkes, 'Brighton-road, 4s 6d Mr Richard Bromley, 3s; Rev E. M. Richards, IS 6S Rev Peter Jones, is 6d; Mr R. Brodie Griffiths, 3s Rev G. jenkins, is 6d; Mr Arthur Greenstreet, Brighton-road, 4s 6d; Dr Goodwin, 3s; Mrs Lucas, Churton Villa, 3s; Mrs J. A. Crockford, Russell House, 3s; Mrs W. R. Wil- liams, 33. Prisoner said nothing 'in reply. 'Mrs Lucas, Churton Villa, said she kept, a girls' school at the above address. On Saturday, the 24th of June, prisoner called upon her and asked her to purchase some tickets for a Shakesperian recital, which would be given in the Church House, through the kind permission of the Vicar of Rhyl. To influence 'her to buy, 'the prisoner produced a book containing the names of several ladies who kept private schools in Rhyl, who, he said, had taken tickets. He also showed witness two visiting cards belong- ing to Mr R. M. Hugh Jones, J.P., Cole't House School, and Miss Mercier, each of whom bore written testimony on the back to the excellent character of a similar entertainment given two years ago at the Victoria Hall. This entertain- ment, prisoner said, was given by his brother, of New York, for whom he was canvassing. The price of tickets for the principals he said was is 6d. Witness purchased two at the price named, and she agreed to take six tickets for the pupils at a reduced' price of is. These were ¡ to come on in course of post, and were not to be paid for until the night of the recital, when only so many as were used would be charged for. Prices of the Shakesperian Recital. Witness gave prisoner 35 for the two tickets, which she purchased for herself and the governess. There was no date and time on the ticket,, which bore the following inscription: "Card of admission, "0. 27, Mr George B. and Miss Minnie M. Willams, New York, Shakes- perian Recital." Among the names in the book produced by prisoner were those of Miss Lons- dale, Miss Ley, Elwy Hall; Miss Rees, St. Os- wald's Miss Beattie, Epworth College; Mrs W. P. Williams, Mr Greenstreet, Mrs Storey, Mr H. A. Tilby, Mr Brodie Griffiths, several of the curates, etc. Prisoner led 'her to, think that the people whose names were in the book had pur- chased tickets. One fact which somewhat as- tonished witness was prisoner's statement that he had been sent to her by Miss Rees, of St. Os- wald's, because she had no personal acquaint- ance with that lady. With that exception wit- ness had no reason to doubt anything the pris- oner said. He said the performance would take place in the Church House on the loth of June. Nearly a fortnight passed and witness wondered why the children's tickets had not come to hand. Oir Monday, the day before the recital was to come off, witness made several enquiries as to what time the recital would be held, and she was astonished to hear that the vicar and the verger knew nothing of the Church House being engaged. The same day P.S. McWalters called upon him, and she informed him of the transac- tion which had taken place between the pris- oner and herself. In answer to the clerk, witness said she could not say of her own knowledge that the recital was not held, but she understood that the Church House was closed on the night in ques- tion. Prisoner Pleads Guilty. Mr Oliver George then read out the charge to the prisoner, and asked him if he had anything to say. He said, "I am guilty, and prefer to be tried here." The police produced a letter from the Rector of Pendleton, who said that the prisoner had carried out the same practices in other places, viz., Macclesfield, Lincoln, and Manchester. Dr Huston, illwy-street, said prisoner called about the 10th of May, and told him he was selling tickets for a Shakesperian recital to be held in the Victoria Hall on the 24th of May. Witness bought tickets, and paid him 4s 6d. Miss Rees, St. 'Oswald's School, said the pris- oner was clean shaven when he called upon her. (Laughter.) He persuaded her to purchase tick- ets for the recital. He could not exactly fix the date, but said a lot of people, including Mr Mus- pratt and Mr Hugh Jones, had purchased tickets. Miss Ley, principal of Elwy Hall School, said on the 15th of May prisoner visited the school, and upon seeing a vote of introduction from Mr Hugh Jones, Colet House, she purchased several tickets. Dr. Goodwin, Rhyl, also related his experiences with the prisoner, and told how he was induced to part with 3s. Miss Trousdale, Blaencartha School, related a similar tale, and said she gave him 3s. Prisoner said that Mr Hugh Jones had taken fifteen tickets for his scholars.

OLD ESTABLISHED 8896 FIRST-CLASS FAMILY HOTEL SHELTERED POSITION IN, FINELY-WOODED PARE. National Telephone No. 13. "ST ^ECTKIC Igf separate^13 T 3* Q<W> MAGNIFICENT VLLIWS; RECHERCHE CUISINE, FOSTXN • GOLF, TENNIS, BATHING, BlbU^ ————,—————— JOHN PORTER, Ili OPi-letor. '"fUla fl )1

Cyfarfod Misol Dyffryn Conwy. BRYN PrDEW, IMe-hefin 17. Llywydd, Parch T. Parry, U-H., Colwyn Bay. Nodwyd i edrych dros y cofnodion Parch W. Rowlands, Mochdre, a Mr W. Arthur Roberts, Llandudno. ■Hysbyswyd fod Llandudno Junction Saesneg wedi rhoddi galwad unfrydol i Mr E. Pierce, Athrofa Duwinyddol y Bala, i'w bugeilio. Yr un modd Engedi, Colwyn Bay, wedi rhoddi galwad i'r Parch R. Roberts, Llandudno. Cadarnhawyd y ddwy alwad, gan fawr ddy- rnuno llwyddiant y brodyr yn eu meusydd llafur newydd. Gwyt'herin wedi dewis yn swyddogion Mri D. Owen, E. Morris, a John Jones, Shop. Nodwyd y cyfrif pleidleisiau y dewisiadau y Parchn. H. Harris Hughes, B.A., B.D., W. H. Humphreys, Llandudno Junction Mri H. Jones, Colwyn Bay, a J. Richards, Llandudno. Dew- iswya yn gynrychiolwyr i'r gymanfa gyffredi.nol y Parchn. O. Selwyn Jones a J. D. Owen, Mri Cadwaladr Jones, Rhydymeinti, a T. H. Jones, Mochdre. I'r Gymdeithasfa Chwarterol, y Parchn. O. Evans, Llandudno, ac R. Roberts, Mri Wm. Williams, Preswylfa, a D. Davies, Re- hoboth. Cyfarwyddwyx y Genhadaeth Dramor, JParch R. Rowlands, Llanrwst; Mr W. Owen, tolwyn Bay. Ar bwyllgor y Drysorfa Gynorth- wyol, Parch H. Barrow Williams, Mr R. Davies, Deganwy. Trysorfa'r Gweinidogion, Parch O. Evans, Llandudno. Llywyddion y Cyfarfod Misol am 1903 :-Pareh R. Roberts, Llandudno, a Mr J. R. Williams, Llwyn Du. Nodwyd i anhwyliad ar y safe a gynwys weithredoedd eiddo y cyfundeb: Parchn. D. Charles o^vans, F.G.S., O. Gaianydd Williams, J. D. Owen, Mri W. J. Williams, ac R. Williams, Llanrwst. Cadarn- hawyd ceisiadau y lleoedd canlynol am "grant" o'r drysorfa gynorthwyolBethania, Penrhyn- side, Bryn Pydew, Mochdre, Colwyn Bay (Saesoneg), Deganwy, Hebron, Colwyn o Llan- elian, Heol Scotland a'r Nant, Rehoboth, Llan- dudno, Trefriw, a'r canghenau Seion a Moriah. Penderfynwyd fod anhwyliad i gael ei gwneucl ar holl weithredoedd a'r papyrau, pa rai sydd yn safe y cyfundeb yn Llanrwst. Yr anhwyliad hwn i gael ei wneud gan y Parchn. D. Charles Evans, F.G.S., J. D. Owen, O. Gaianydd Williams, Mri W. J. Williams, a R. Williams, LlanTwst. Fod y "grant" arferol o 50P yn cael ei ofyn gan Gronfa'r Achosion Saesoneg tuag at achos Saesoneg Llandudno Junction. Hefyd, iop tuag at y genhadaeth yn Penrhyn Bay. Cawd hanes yr achos yn y lie a phrofiad y swyddogion o dan arweiniad Mr William Owen, Colwyn Bay. Yr achos mewn modd siriol a llewyrchus iawn. Prydnawn dechreuwyd gan Mr D. Davies, Llandudno. Cadarnhawyd y cof- nodion. Y Cyfarfod Misol nesaf yn Salem, Gorphenaf gfed a iofed. I arwain yn hanes yr achos Mr W. Evans, Bryn Pydew. Caed anerch- iad wresog ar ran casgliad yr 2ofed ganrif gan y Parch T. Owen, Wyddgrug. Diolchwyd yn gynes i Mr Owen am ei ymweliad. I gymeryd llais Eglwys Llandudno Junction mewn dewis blaenoriaid y Parch J. Edwards a Mr R. Hughes- Jones, Colwyn Bay. I Rhos i'r un amcan v Parch W. Lloyd, Seion, a Mr T. H. Jones, Mochdre. Nodwyd i fyned a'r achos neillduol i Gonwy y Parchn. W. Thomas, 'Llanrwst; Thomas Parry, U.H., Colwyn Bav; Mri B. Williams, Llandudno a John Parry, "Frith Arw. A, Yr un modd i Bethania, y Parch O. Evans a Mr ID. Jones, Llandudno. Cyhoeddwyd i bre- gethu: Parchn. T. M. Jones, Colwyn Bay; John Owen, Wyddgrug; O. -Evans, Llandudno; O. Selwyn Jones, a D. Charles Evans.

y- —— Mr M'Hugh, M.P., was on Wednesday, at Shgo, committed to jail for three months for contempt of court. By the generosity of Mr Assheton Smith, of Vaynol Park, the 3,000 men and boys employed at the Great Dinorwic Quarries will be enabled to celebrate the Coronation next week without suffering any material deprivation of wages. He has intimated that Thursday and Friday will be observed as general holidays at the quarries, and that a special grant will be made of 6s to every man and of 4s to every lad employed thereat in lieu of wages during the holidays.

Average Price of BrltlS Grain. fol, e(j the i THE Board of Agriculture have *-sS^ffe 0 lowing statement showing the aver o jjje British grain per qr. of 8 bushels I sure, as received from, the ^nsPectC^rSay 190i' of excise in the week ending 31st 1 ,r £ 1cre p1* Quantities sold- s. Qrs. Bus. 3t 0 Wheat 32,728 0 25 Barley 864 3 z Oats 5.177 4 The following comparative statem°n 01 averages for the corresponding wee the years from 1895 to 1901 :•— __1" s. Corresponding Wheat. s. week in s. d. 0$ 1895 25 9 6 9 1896 25 5 8 0 1898 '■ 46 3 f '4 6 2! i 4 IYOJ 2S S *8 1901 27 7

Weather Forecasts Harvest. 'cøl teorolog1 of DURING the harvest season the M aSts Council will, as before, supply ^ollS of weather by telegraph to persons ^eSl ceivinig them, upon payment of t^e g0 telegrams. The forecasts will he that the cost of each message will ^ree v,'° one district, including an address 0 to If the address to which the forecas^ a 5^ sent exceeds three words an ke ^ci^ penny for each additional word lT1 to the cost of the daily telegram- harvest forecasts are prepared at 3'dtl1 (61 foot from June 1st to September 3 Sundays), and are applicable to lg 0f if 0$ hours from midnight following the 1 Applications for the forecasts shout Sj1 official forms, addressed to Mr _nCil, secretary to the Meteorological Co ^0& lf, Victoria-tsreet, S.W. In view of gst fofeC{ (e- of checking the accuracy of the haxv" >jjO= cQ. the Council will be glad, to supply^gs9 0{ cipienits who signify their r ec°fipt operate in the matter, forms on vsdu •the weather experienced may be co^^e the purpose of enabling the Councl c0r the forecasts with the subsequent we ed for the service of harvest forecasts is arrlrl ri to itio0 secutive telegrams only, and is prep;(Û1i¡V ordinary service of daily forecasts^ yv f the office at eleven a.m. and eight p- partic t these hours the latest forecasts for a pa)' t° day can be obtained by telegraph a(jd,itl0 at any post office of a fee of 6d, the cost of the inquiry and reply e -=-

Rhuddian. sjjj Assaulting the Police.—At st,T^-s3f?ev day, a hawker named Edward^ by 5s and costs for assaulting P.O. ^-a him with a stick at Rhuddian.

Rhyl. Merrie Men."—Large crowds t0 daily round the "Merrie Men" tes cellence of their programme. Pierrots.—The hieh-cliss of Messrs Ade'ler and Sutton s P 0f reS the Pier attract the very best clas and visitors in 'the town. Promenade Band.—This talent Co& a of musicians, fourteen in nuffl their season on Monday. The gpitw 1 now become a fixture in the ccn T^ced, around which chairs have been p^cert ^fjal the appearance of an open-air c0 Station Improvements. 7- lmP^rta S^»f alterations are being carried^ °u circular 'booking office will be trpefl ;fY" with, and in future Mr F-urber s carry on its business in a larger e cious room, which was i5 trance. The station hall will pla" modious. A new entrance to also in course of construction. 4 ast re Fire on the East Parade —^T°'^t'roye^ had a narrow escape from being vV « on Tuesday. Several ^n.tl^">tS passing, noticed dense smoke in je W room, and alarmed the houseno gjjt p j to found that a clothes-horse had ^j rug was burnt and then the fla #haisbe valuable piano, the framevvor.K totally destroyed. The fire was s

St. Asaph- No Encouragement to Celebrate e 0 -At St. Asaph on Saturday, ^cph ^df Roberts and Dr Easterby, •Wotd'^tbe°^ "behalf of Mr T. Hughes, Plough ja.ifl j'.fie- an extension of hours from 10 *° 26th sion of a public dance on the application was refused. -,iciplal

in aiVajesV The King's medical a^tjCb tion of the severe strain to •oiia' £ ,0to {o*' will be subjected during the ^j,ajesty ^t ties, have recommended his tjje all public engagements du fes^t dayS' —— On Wednesday the annua as t01's111r of the Holywell Rural tie c?fs Christ Church, Mostyn, un ^ch$0*^ of Mr Davies, Gorsedd. T jjryflf0 aSs, ted by choirs were Holywe » Jyla11 Gorsedd, Whitford, Rhesj Greenfield.

The Bench's Decision. This was all the evidence offered, and the Chair- man addressed the prisoner in the following; terms:—" Williams, you appears io have obtained the good will and offices of a ureal number of ladies andgentkmcn in the town, who seem to have had confidence in you from the fact that confidence had been misplaced in you by others, and irf that way thev were led to believe it a genuine case. it is necessary for the protection of the public that men like you who are going about the country committing these serious offences—and there is sufficient evidence before us to show that you have been guilty of these offences elsewhere-should be severely punished, and if we had evidence that you had be<-n previously convicted we should have given you the maximum penalty. As it is, you will be committed to prison for two months with hard labour. Thanks to Ladies and Police. "I should like," continued the president, "to thank all those ladies and gentlemen who have come forward to give evidence in this case. It is not a pleasant thing to do, and I think they deserve thanks for the ready way they have done so. I must also bear testimony to the remarkable ingenuity and cleverness displayed by P.S. Mac- Walters in tracing this man. It is not the first time this officer has displayed his detective qualities, and as this is a serious case, his con- duct is such as to deserve public commenda- tion." On hearing the sentence, prisoner exhibited signs of great emotion, and was led out of court sobbing bitterly.