The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-05-29 00:00:00

THE 'HOME EMPLOYMENT"
FRAUDS.

On Tuesday, at the Middlesex Sessions, Alexander
Abercrombie, 31, agent, of good education, was in-
dicted for stealing a brooch and other articles, the
goods of William Duncan, as a bailee; obtaining by
false pretences from Jane Helena Leah Duncan .£5,
from Alice Delphine Bernard the sum of £lO, frem
Jenny Stirling the sum of £2, from Emily Marion
Sharp the sum of £25. from Charles Cook the sum of
£25,, from George Wade the sum of £25, and
various sums from others, in each case with in-
tent to defraud. The prisoner to the charge of felony
—stealing a brooch, &c.—pleaded not guilty, but to the
whole of the other charges he pleaded guilty.
Mr. Mead, who was specially instructed by the
Public Prosecutor, appeared for the prosecution;
and Mr. Samuel Poynter (Mr. K. Frith with him) for
the psisoner. It will be remembered that the ac-
cused had for a long time past been getting his living
by advertising in several of the daily papers, "Home
employment for ladies," and by such means obtained
from many persons divers sums of money, varying
from £2 to £25, and he contrived to effect numerous
frauds in a most ingenious and artful manner. As a
sample of his misdeeds, he engaged a number of
lads at once as clerks, and on the strength of such
engagements induced their parents to deposit
with .him as security sums varying in amount
up to £25. It is needless to say that the
prisoner had no situations at his disposal,
and that the whole of these transactions were
fraudulent, ho having no authority whatever to
effect any such engagement. These frauds, however,
were not confines to any particular class of persons,
but married women and young ladies bad become his
victims in numerous instances. As regards the female
sex the frauds were even more cruel than those
practised on the male sex, inasmuch as to meet the
prisoner's demands, in the absence of ready money to
pay the "deposit," they had to resort to parting
with jewellery and some prized little articles of
value. The prisoner had gone by various names, and
it was shown by papers found in his possession by
Detective Inspector Peel and Police-constable Cooper
of the G Division, that since October last he had ob-
tained at least £5OO from his victims.
After some little discussion, and by the sanction of
the Court, Mr. Mead offered no evidence in the felony
charge, upon which the prisoner was formally put
upon his trial, and acquitted. The learned counsel
informed the Bench that the prisoner had not even
paid the rent of the offices he had hired, but had
given acheque upon a bank where he had no account.
Detective Inspector Peel, G Division, was then
examined. He said the prisoner had been carrying
on for a long time a most extensive system of swind-
ling. He had " dummy " office-books, and had re-
sorted to all sorts of devices. Witness had many
other cases ready to be submitted to the Treasury, and
beyond these were nearly 100 others.
Mr. Mead said he had then something more plea-
sant to speak of, and that was the conduct of Inspector
Peel.
The Assistant Judge said: I have already remived
a communication from the grand jury in resptnt to
him. It is not the first time I have had pleasure in
speaking of him. lam able to say that a more able
officer does not exist in the detective force.

Inspector Peel: Thank you, my lord.
At a later period of the day the prisoner's wife pro-
duced some of the jewellery which had been left with
the prisoner as security.
In passing sentence, the Assistant Judge said: This
is one of the very worst cases a the kind that has
ever come before me. (To the prisoner) : You have
shown yourself to be a most expert, accomplished,
and unscrupulous swindler. It is my duty to put a
stop to your operations for some time to come. You
will go into penal servitude for five years.
The prisoner, who seemed very unconcerned at his
fate, was then taken to the cells.