1939-05-08 — Page 2

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THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 8, 1939.

AMAZING FRAUDS BOGUS EARL

Posed As Descendant Of Queen Victoria

Big, handsome Leslie Francis Collier, brilliant scholar and ex-Sandhurst cadet, who became the self-styled "Earl of Macduff" and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment at Kingston-on-Thames recently, was an artist at his game.

IMPORTANT BYE-ELECTION

London, Apr. 30,

The first bye-election since the introduction of conscription in Britain will take place in the As- ton Division of Birmingham on May 17, following the departure of the Conservative Capt. A. O. J. Hope, who was recently` ap- pointed Governor of Madras,~ Havas.

on

OF

WOMAN CLIMBER KILLED

On Same Spot As Late King

+

NAMUR, APRIL 29.

DRAGGED OFF HER PERI-

LOUS PERCH BY HER BROTHER,

WHO WAS STRUCK ON THE

HEAD BY FALLING STONE, THE

But Nemesis overtook him NIECE OF COUNT XAVIER DE what should have been the happiest GRUNNE MET DEATH TO-DAY day of his life. On his' wedding

WHILE ON A MOUNTAIN- His "racket" was that of fashionable swindler.day, his blushing bride on his 'arm,

he was walking out of a Norwich CLIMBING EXPEDITION He knew how to play on the weakness of mankind register office when a détective THE through high-sounding names, fine clothes, and tapped him on the arm. easy, self-possessed manners.

From Debrett's Peerage he borrowed the title of Lord Macduff, son of Prince Arthur of Con- naught, and great-grandson of Queen Victoria, and, as "His Lordship," chartered a plane, flying from Renfrew to Sheffield.

"You're ROCK.

under arrest," he explained. "There's been a little trouble in Manchester."-

ON

MARCHE - LES - DAMES

She was killed on exactly the same spot where her uncle, the Count, five years ago found the body of King Albert I of the Belgians, who had been killed while climbing the Rock.

Collier has not always been a crook. So promising was his ear- ly career that he was freely tipped for the highest military honours. The unfortunate young woman Born in Egypt, the son of an linked to one another by rope. Her was one of a party of alpinists, Army captain who had risen from

traversing a difficult stretch. He fell, dragging with him his sister

Still keeping up his noble pose, chester inn and ordered the land-the ranks, he was on the threshold brother was struck by a stone while he ordered food and drink to the lord to "set 'em up" for everyone value of 32s,, without having ain the house. penny to pay for it.

When presented with his bill, Little things like bills never Collier calmly took a blank piece of bothered this man of many names, paper from his pocket, wrote the As Charles Frances Srott, Captain amount, and told the landlord it Collier, Forestier, and Walker, his was a cheque, which would be "hon- escapades took him all over Brit-oured" at his bank.

ain, and in at least five towns he Then with his customary poise, was wanted for tendering bogus the popular host took leave of his guests, and told the porter to get him a taxi.

cheques,

But if, by adopting these aliases, this young. man of twenty-six thought he was laying a false trail he forgot he was living in an age of photographs, telegraph, and fin- ger-prints, and astute detectives soon brought his crimes to an end.

1

Nothing, if not sociable, this gay. adventurer: once arrived at a Dor

Cassidy teaches a ten- derfoot some Western tricks in love and warl

CLARENCE E.

MULFORD'S

HEART WEST

Pakamount Balausa welik

WILLIAM BOYD- JIMMY ELLISON Goerga Hayes *** Sidney Beckner ·

· Directed by Howard Britâniei

TO-MORROW

ALHAMBRA

it

"London, my man, and make snappy," he commanded the driver.

OLD COLLEGE CHUM

When he reached his destination it was to discover, as usual, that he had no money. So he borrowed 10s. from the driver!

At Birmingham, before an admir- ing circle.of dupes, Collier borrow- ed £5, and sent a cable to his "old college chum" Captain Scott, con- gratulating him on his record flight to Australia. Nor was he in the least perturbed by the fact that he had never met the famous airman in his life.

of a great Army career when he turned his brilliant powers fraud.

WİLD ESCAPADES

to

and two other members of the

latter party. The two

climbers

sus- luckily managed to hang on, pended by their ropes over a chasm. But the brother and sister, were not so lucky; he was seriously in- jured, and she was killed.

Captain Collier was heart-broken when his son went wrong. He could not understand how the lad whom

Firemen from Namur eventually he had coached and nursed so care- fully for the Army could have fail-

succeeded in reaching and rescuing ed him. He wondered how the boy the other two climbers.—Havas. who by sheer merit, had won A worth scholarship for Sandhurst hundreds, could have come to grief..

He felt that some terrible shock had occurred to change his whole personality.

Something, indeed, may have snapped in Collier's brain, when after a period of drift

with the "amart set," he failed to get his commission.

PALESTINE IS TAKING PRECAUTIONS

Jerusalem, April 30. Palestine is at present organis- ing herself actively in view of pos sibilities.

con-

In a fury of disappointment he The authorities are carrying out over-stayed his leave and started projects providing for the on his wild escapades. He drove all struction of camps and barracks, round the country in a sports car notably in Haifa, Sarafend and cashing worthless cheques, then Jerusalem. Strategic regions, such went to Belgium. When found by as. Haifa harbour, are being spe- his father in Ypres he was in a clally equipped. “wild_state":

Anti-aircraft batteries are being Soon afterwards Collier chang- Captain Collier paid his son's placed along the coast and at the ed his identity, and as Captain Las-debts and brought him back to peak of Mount Carmel. The au son, of the Royal Marines, held a London, where he was put into a thorities are examining plans for car-dealer spell-bound by his in-psychological clinic. But he dis- the stocking of food supplies and side story of the secrets of Buck appeared from there. ingham Palace, where the gallant

“captain" `played a major part in

|their distribution.

Havas.

the Fuard mounting ceremoniall Serious Germano-Belgian

So impressed was the dealer that he almost begged this "friend of royalty" to take away a £250 car. The "captain" obliged, promising to pay in the near futurè.

WEDDING-DAY, ARREST

We next find Collier, an R.A.F. officer now, in the lounge of the Redhill, Flying Club.

“Just a temporary embarrassi ment, old chap," he is telling, the secretary "Could you cash this cheque for ERT!

Another glimpse. Colller is driving i and draws up out Garage

This time sports le a Brooklands

Incident Reported

Brussels, April 30: thereupon summoned the Germans

A serious Germano-Belgian inci- and asked them for their papers. ent in the small town of Winterslag, One man then stepped forward and Limbourg Province, was reported declared, "I am the German Con- here to-day in the Socialist news-sul. In three days time, you will paper, "Le Peuple.”

not even have the right to demand-

It claimed that 800 members of papers of Identity here.” the German Labour Front, most "Le. Peuple" added that the Bel- of them Austrians or former Sude- gian halal, made a report to the tene, held a meeting for, which they King's Prosecutor. dressed in Henleinist uniforms...........Meanwhile, after the Germans with white socks, as Henleinists concluded their meeting, the Con- used to in Czechoslovakia.

sul departed in a car accompanied Belgians gathered near the as- by some other Germans, while the sembled - Gefmans, who thereupon rest stood by saluting In. Nazi i

attitude, hurl-shion. Belgians on the scene hissed

the newspaper concludu-

ookers, and