CONFIDENTIAL SUPPLEMENT A right forefinger print unless otherwise stated. CJKFIDENTIAL Supplement A THE POLICE GAZETTE No. 26. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1924. Vol. XL EXPERT AND TRAVELLING CRIMINALS. 481. Michael Secunda, alias Michael Secundas, C. R. O. No. 15180- 1919. Description : B. ( London) 1897, 5ft. 4in., c. dk., h. black, e. brown. Personal Weaknesses, Peculiarities, etc. : Jewish appearance ; well dressed. Bound over in own recognizances of £ 10 for 12 mos. and one surety of £ 10, at West London Pol. Ct., 19- 11- 1924, for being a suspected person. Pre. con. of larceny on L. This man is a member of a gang of notorious and clever travelling criminals who are believed to have been responsible for several cases of housebreaking and shopbreaking, but in many instances have been successful in securing their acquittal or discharge when prosecuted. They have frequently operated in the Provinces and Suburban districts. Entrance has been effected to dwellinghouses in the afternoon, during t he temporary absence of the occupiers, by forcing the front door or breaking the glass of a window and releasing the catch. Invariably a motor car has been used as a means of conveyance and has greatly assisted t hem in their exploits, in effecting their immediate escape and the removal of stolen property. On occasions taxicabs have been used. He is a frequenter of racecourses and as far as known has never followed any honest employ- ment. Method— ( i) In con. quoted he was seen, with a confederate, loitering in the vicinity of good class residences, and when arrested a jemmy and electric torch were found in his possession. ( ii) With a companion forced a shop door with a chisel and stole several rolls of shirting, pairs of socks, etc. Associates : John Ward, C. R. O. No. 9383- 1916 ( now in prison), Ernest Millsom, C. R. O. No. 15181- 1919 ( who have been convicted with him), Frederick Harding, Case No. 92 ( Vol. VI.), George Hawkins, C. R. O. No. 11671- 1914, Frederick Smith, C. R. O. No. 9321- 1920 ( now in prison) and Thomas Turner, C. R. O. No. 19734- 1919. The portrait is a good likeness. Subsequent history t 482. Thomas Henry John Crawley, aliases Thomas Henry Crawley, Frank Patrick Crawley and " Tom the Dancer," C. R. O. No. 7446- 1914. Description : B. ( London) 1898, 5ft. 9£ in., c. fresh, h. dk. brown, e. blue, scar rt. cheek, fourth rt. and first 1. finger, rt. wrist and base of 1. thumb, B. Bill, clasped hands and anchor rt., woman 1. forearm. Sentenced at C. C. C., 17- 7- 1922, to 3 yrs. pen. for robbery with violence. Liberated on licence, 20- 11- 1924, into the M. P. D. Pre. con. of cyclestealing in the CITY OF LONDON and on L. A member of a gang of dangerous criminals who never hesitated to use violence, if the occasion demanded, to enable them to carry out their daring exploits. Motor cars were stolen by means of garagebreaking and also whilst left unattended in the streets. Windows of jewellers' shops were smashed, jewellery was seized and their escape effected with the aid of the stolen motor cars. In some instances after committing the offences the cars were abandoned in the streets. Method— ( i) W7ith confederates awaited the return of a Relieving officer from a certain bank where it was customary for him to collect a sum of money weekly, for the payment of out- door relief ; then, whilst he was proceeding along a street, dealt him a heavy blow upon his head with a loaded stick, which rendered him unconscious ; the bag and money was then snatched and their escape effected with the assistance of a motor car which had been stolen from a garage. ( ii) Accompanied by another man hired a bicycle which he rode to a distant town and then endeavoured to dispose of it. Has also stolen a bicycle in the street. Associates : Herbert John Reeves, C. R. O. No. 4716- 1917, Arthur Wilson, C. R. O. No. S/ 140641 ( both now in pen.), Alfred Edward Walker, C. R. O. No. 8190- 1914, and Henry Hyne, C. R. O. No. S/ 163645 ( each of whom has been convicted with him). The portrait is a good likeness. Specimen of handwriting at C. R. O. Subsequent history 483. John Walter Stewart Gunn, aliases John William Stewart Gunn, John Stewart Gunn and Clement Branch, C. R. O. No. 237- 1924. Description : B. ( Orkney) 1881, 5ft. lljin., c. fresh, h. brown, e. grey ( wears spectacles). Sentenced at C. L. S., 29- 5- 1923, to 21 mos. impt. for larceny. Liberated, 14- 11- 1924, into the M. P. D. Pre. con. of larceny, false pretences and cyclestealing at INVERNESS, EDINBURGH, ABERDEEN. TADCASTER, HARROGATE, PERTH and on C. A persistent and clever swindler who wrote from temporary addresses to firms of repute in various towns and obtained, on approval, jewellery and other valuable articles, which he disposed of and then absconded. The letters were written in such a way as to inspire confidence, thus enquiries to verify as to their genuineness were seldom instituted, this greatly assisted and enabled him to carry on his swindles so successfully. If information reached him, before he absconded, that criminal proceedings were contemplated he frequently forwarded a small instalment on account and promised the balance by monthly payments, this invariably had the effect of drawing a reply, which placed the matter outside one of fraud. Method— ( i.) Obtained money by falsely representing himself as an Inspector of Deer Forests and stating he was collecting subscriptions for the purpose of translating into Gaelic and establishing and circulating a book or pamphlets on deer forests and grouse moors in Scotland. He has also obtained board and lodgings. ( ii.) Stole a bicycle whilst bailee. ( iii.) Wrote to a firm of gunsmiths and obtained, on approval, a pair of guns, one of which he sub- sequently disposed of to a firm of pawnbrokers. In another instance he wrote to a firm of jewellers in Scotland and secured, 011 approval, valuable necklets of Scotch pearls. On another occasion he wrote to a firm of jewellers and requested a number of rings to be forwarded on sale or return. Seven were sent and Gunn later absconded from the given address and commenced to dispose of the rings to pawnbrokers before his arrest could be effected. The portrait is a good likeness. Specimen of handwriting at C. R. O. Subsequent history 484. Charles Morton, aliases Morton Edward Cope and A. H. Drysdale, C. ll. O. No. 250- 1924. Description : B. ( London) 1862, 5ft, 3Jin., c. fresh, h. brown ( turning grey, partly bald), e. blue, mole 1. cheek. Sentenced at C. C. C., 25- 3- 1924, to 10 mos. impt. for forgery. Liberated, 5- 12- 1924, into the M. P. D. Pre. con. of false pretences and conspiracy on B. A case of forgery at Southend- on- Sea was taken into consideration when sentence was passed. Method— ( i.) Obtained money by forging and uttering the endorsement of a banker's cheque which had been handed to him with instructions to convey to a certain person. ( ii.) With an accomplice interviewed men who had advertised for employment and described himself as a representative of the Road Club of the British Isles ; to inspire confidence a number of books and badges were displayed and situations offered if cash security was forthcoming. Several persons parted with sums of money, varying in amount, under the impression that employment had been found them. ( iii.) Interviewed the superintendent of an insurance company and represented that lie desired to take out a life policy for a certain named person ( who was his confederate). For the premium ai worthless cheque, for a larger amount than that required, was tendered and a genuine cheque for the difference received. ( iv.) Gained the confidence of a money lender during the time he was employed by him as a clerk. Subsequently from time to time he informed his employer that tradesmen, who were in a good way of business, required loans. Promissory notes were made out and handed to Morton for the purpose of getting the signatures appended by those wishing to borrow. Later he returned the notes purporting to have been signed by those persons. The money was then handed to Morton and later it was discovered that the signatures were a forgery and in the meantime he absconded. Associate : George Lucas, C. R. O. No. 1151- 1902 ( now in prison, and who has been convicted with him). The portrait is a good likeness. Specimen of handwriting at C. R. O. to * v, M0 / /• ^ Subsequent history 485. Frederick Charles Maxwell, aliases Theodore George Schomberg, Frederick Charles Elliott, Baa$ j Frederick Windom, Basil Frederick Wyndham, ^ George Frank Elliott, Frederick Percival Starl^. Frederick St. Clair Bradshaw, Frederick James Fairfax, Fred Edmunds and Captain Fairfax, C. R. Q>* No. 590- 1914. • • • « Description : B. ( Marlborough, Wilts.) 1879, 5ft. 9fin., c. sallow, h. dk. brown, e. gre^ anchor, ship, shield, etc., rt., anchor, bracelet, clasped hands, etc., 1. forearm, 1. leg about 2in. short^ than rt., 1. shoulder deformed. Personal Weaknesses, Peculiarities, etc. : Well educated and very plausible, Americ^ accent, slight impediment in speech, believed to speak French and German, good pianist, stoo^ slightly and carries a walking- stick with a rubber band at bottom. Sentenced at Preston Sess., 9- 4- 1924, to 9 mos. impt. for false pretences. Liberated, 25- 11- 1924, to Marlborough. Pre. con. of false pretences, krceny and minor offences at CHESTER, PLYMOUTH, BRISTOL, SWANSEA, NEWBURY, DARTMOUTH, BATH, GAINSBOROUGH and on K, L, N and S. Method— ( i) By various plausible tales obtained food and lodgings and committed larcenies at houses usually occupied by working class people. Alleged he had obtained employment in the neighbourhood with a fiim of engineers, remained until the following morning and stole jewellery from a bedroom. As Captain Fairfax represented he was employed at the local Ministry of Pensions committee office ; obtained £ 4 from his landlady and gave her a note signed F. J. Fairfax, addressed to His Majesty's Paymaster, Pensions Office, Bath, instructing him to pay her £ 5 10s, which Maxwell stated belonged to him. Two days later alleged he had to go to Bristol in connection with his work, would be returning later in the day, but failed to do so. ( ii) Called on a clergyman and a retired Army officer, stated he had secured an engagement on a yacht, produced a letter written by himself, purporting to have come from the captainof the boat verifying the engagement, and thereby induced his victims to give him money, which he promised to refund when the yacht arrived in port. He also stated he had been a lieutenant- commander in the Royal Naval Reserve and wore South African, Mercantile Marine, Victory and General Service ribbons. ( iii) Called at several houses, alleged he had been on officer in the Army and asked for assistance. Visited a vicarage ostensibly for the purpose of seeking the vicar's assistance to secure billets for soldiers, and whilst left alone stole a set of false teeth. ( iv) Hired a bicycle from a small tradesman and went to a neighbouring town where he attempted to dispose of the machine. Disposed of some of the property at pawnbroker's shops. Specimen of handwriting at C. R. O. 486. Louie Hawley, aliases Louie Hale, Nora Jackson and Nurse Jones, C. R. O. No. 3765- 1921. Description : B. ( Sheffield) 1901, 5ft. S^ in., c. fresh, h. dk. brown, e. hazel, third rt. finger deformed. Personal Weaknesses, Peculiarities, etc. : Speaks well and slowly; Scotch accent; fond of the company of men ; front teeth decayed. Sentenced at Blackburn Sess., 11- 4- 1924, to 9 mos. impt. for false pretences. Liberated, 27- 11- 1924, to Blackburn. Pre. con. of larcenv and false pretences at ROTHERHAM, MAN- CHESTER and SHEFFIELD. Method— ( i) Dressed in the uniform of a nurse, called on confectioners and stated the Matron at the local infir- f marv had sent her for several boxes of chocolates, on approval; was allowed to select eight boxes, which she promised to return, but failed to do so. ( ii) Secured lodgings in a working class neighbourhood by representing that she was employed as a traveller by a firm of chemists. After staying a few days she stole a ring and decamped. ( iii) Obtained food and lodgings by falsely stating that she had been engaged as a nurse at the General Infirmary and had only arrived in the town that day. On another occasion she represented herself to be an actress engaged at the local music hall. In another instance alleged she was a District Nurse and had to report on reaching a certain town the following morning. During the evening she left her lodgings under the pretext of fetching her luggage from the station, but failed to return. ( iv) Called on complainant, asked for lodgings and stated she was employed at the General Post Office in a certain named town. Subsequently on the pretence of buying a pair of shoes she obtained £ 1, which she promised to refund same day, by messenger, this she failed to do. ( v) Visited a shop and obtained possession of goods by alleging that she had been sent by the Matron of an institution, well known to loser, and the goods were required on approval. ( vi) Stated she had arrived from a distant town to take up duties the following day, as a probationary nurse at the local infirmary, and that she would have to sleep away from the institution; secured lodgings which she left during the evening and did not return. ( vii) Entered the shop of a draper in a suburban district of a town, asked to be shown some good silk blouses, which she stated were for the wife of a local doctor ( false). She was allowed to take the articles. Shortly afterwards she returned with all the goods and requested to be allowed to take those chosen by the doctor's wife, at the same time she asked for and was supplied with the invoice. Prior to entering the shop she was seen loitering in the vicinity in company with another woman and a man. ( viii) Has stolen clothing from places where she has been employed. Specimen of handwriting at C. R. O. i The following persons who have already appeared in Supplement A have been re- convicted as follows-- Thomas Pearce, Case No. 64 ( Vol. I.), was sentenced at Salford P. Sess., 22- 11- 1924, to 3 mos. impt., for frequenting. ^ Hugh Dunnico, Case No. 271 ( Vol. I.), was sentenced as Hugh Thomas Dunnico, at Barnsley ( W. R,) Pol. Ct., 21- 11- 1924, to 2, 2 and 2 mos. impt. ( cons.), for false pretences ( 3 cases). Repre- sented himself as the Express Advertising Agency and obtained permission to publish Football Clubs Fixture Lists, then called upon tradesmen and obtained money under the pretext of inserting an advertisement in the lists. J81 Thomas Wilson, Case No. 340 ( Vol. I.), was, as Joseph George Putnam, at Westminster Pol. Ct. ( L.), 21- 10- 1924, committed to prison for 59 days, for withholding trade union funds. Was entrusted with trade union funds which he refused to give up when requested. Edward Cook, Case No. 115 ( Vol. 11.), was sentenced as Edward Jennings, at C. L S 20- 11- 1924, to 6 mos impt., for being; an incorrigible rogue. Induced persons to give alms by chalking on the pavement that he was a disabled soldier discharged without a pension. / Fred Sullivan, Case No. 174 ( Vol. III.), was sentenced as William John Moncrieffe, at Stirling Sheriff Ct., 2- 10- 1924, to 9 mos. impt., for obtaining board and lodgings by fraud. Three cases of fraud and one of larceny were taken into consideration when sentence was passed. 188. GeorgeStokell, Case No. 269 ( Vol. III.), was sentenced at Durham Ass., 11- 11- 1924, to 3 yrs. pen. / ( conc.) and 5 yrs. p. d., for burglary ( 4 cases), housebreaking and shopbreaking and being a h. c. Four cases of burglary, two of housebreaking and two of larceny were taken into consideration when sentence was passed. Effected entrance to better class dwelling houses at rear of premises. ^ Llewellyn Price, Case No. 386 ( Vol. IV.). Sentence of 3 yrs. pen., as shown in re- conviction of 7- 11- 1924, has been reduced to 12 mos. impt. by Court of Criminal Appeal. 489, William Lee, Case No. 397 ( Vol. IV.), was sentenced as William Jackson, at Birmingham Sess., 25- 11- 1924, to 6 yrs. pen., for housebreaking. Effected entrance to a dwelling house left unattended and situated in a suburban district by forcing the window at the rear of premises. Liberated on licence from previous sentence, 14- 10- 1924, to Norwich. He now walks with a limp, his left leg being shorter than the right. r Stephen House Bowey, Case No. 144 ( Vol. V.), was sentenced at Stockton Pol. Ct., 27- 11 - 1924, to 3 mos. impt., for stealing a bicycle left unattended outside a public house. 490, Harry Arthur Clarke, Case No. 250 ( Vol. V.), was sentenced as Harry Clarke, at Bow Street Pol. ' Ct.\ L.), 20- 11- 1924, to 3 mos. impt., for stealing a lady's handbag from a table in a restaurant. 491, George Wilmore, Case No. 13 ( Vol. VI.), was sentenced as John Ward, at Lambeth Pol. Ct, ( L.), J 29- 11- 1924, to 3 mos. impt., for being found on enclosed premises. Previously liberated on p. d% licence, 11- 11- 1924. 492y John Spencer, Case No. 203 ( Vol. VI.), was sentenced as James Brown, at Leeds P. Sess., 28- 11- 1924, ' to 14 days impt. for stealing joiner's tools from a house in the course of erection. y Mary Marjorie Macdonald, Case No. 242, ( Vol. VI.), was sentenced as Marjorie McDonald, at Westminster Pol. Ct. ( L.), 21- 11- 1924, to 12 mos. impt. under the Prevention of Crimes Act. Found in a hotel under suspicious circumstances. J William Callighan, Case No. 283 ( Vol. VI.). was sentenced as William Callaghan, at West Ham Pol. Ct. ( L.), 22- 11- 1924, to 3 mos. impt. for being a suspected person— hustled persons boarding omnibuses. James Padley, C. R. O. No. 505- 1906, Charles Murray, C. R. O. No. S/ 67150, Francis Villiers, C. R. O. No. S/ 125579, and John Silver, C. R. O. No. S/ 156015, were convicted with him. 493. John Donovan, Case No. 303 ( Vol. VI.), was sentenced at the Guildhall Pol. Ct. ( L ), 29- 11- 1924, to 3 mos. impt., for being a suspected person— attempting to steal parcels from vans whilst in transit- William Shiel, Case No. 247 ( Vol. VIII.), Ernest Nagel, C. R. O. No. 1899- 1918, and Joseph Wm. Handley, C. R. O. No. 5344- 1921, were convicted with him. George Measures, Case No. 391 ( Vol. VI.), was sentenced at C. L. S., 20- 11- 1924, to 12 mos impt. for being an incorrigible rogue— hustled persons boarding tram- cars. 494. Albert Tilley, Case No. 204 ( Vol. VIII.), was sentenced at Middlesex Sess., 29- 11- 1924, to 9 mos. impt. for housebreaking— climbed stack pipe and forced lavatory window. William Shiel, Case No. 247 ( Vol. VIII.), was sentenced at the Guildhall Pol. Ct. ( L), 29- 11- 1924, to 3 mos. impt. for being a suspected person— attempting to steal parcels from vans whilst in transit, John Donovan, Case No. 303 ( Vol. VI.), Ernest Nagel, C. R. O. No. 1899- 1918, and Joseph Wm. Handley, C. R. O. No. 5344- 1921, were convicted with him. 49£. Millicent Veronica Mitchell, Case No. 270 ( Vol. X.), was sentenced as Elsie Veronica Clarke or " Scott, at Edinburgh Sheriff Ct. ( Sec. 31), 25- 11- 1924, to 15^ mos. impt. for larceny ( 2 cases) and fraud, ( 1) Obtained lodgings and later absconded with money, etc. ; ( 2) called at a fruiterer's shop and obtained a quantity of fruit by representing she had been sent by the manageress of a certain shop. 496. Francis Clifford Parry, Case No. 308 ( Vol. X.), was sentenced at Tunbridge Wells Pol. Ct., 1- 12- 1924, to 6 mos. impt. for false pretences. After the banks had closed purchased two blank cheques from a tradesman ; later induced a tradeswoman to cash a worthless cheque by stating that his mother was a customer and required some ready money. A case of fraud at Uckfield was taken into con sideration when sentence was passed. LATEST INFORMATION . " Edward Power, Case No. 204 ( Vol. I.), was liberated, 8- 12- 1924, to Preston. ^ Frederick Raymond Wake, Case No. 254 ( Vol. I.), was liberated on licence. 21- 11- 1924, into the M. P. D. Thomas Henry Wharton, Case No. 107 ( Vol. III.), was liberated, 6- 12- 1924, to Manchester. ^ Thomas Davies, Case No. 92 ( Vol. IV.), was liberated, 5- 12- 1924, to Swansea. ^ William Henry, Case No. 10 ( Vol. V.), was liberated on licence, 2- 12- 1924, into the M . P. D. / Henry Forbes, Case No. 208 ( Vol. V.), was liberated, 26- 11- 1924, into the M. P. D. Intended address: 21, Green Street, W. C. James Woods, Case No. 447 ( Vol. V.), was liberated, 12- 12- 1924, into the M. P. D. Intended Caress: 36, St. Leonard Street, Victoria. ^ Victor Mote, Case No. 521 ( Vol. VI.), was liberated on licence, 14- 10- 1924, into the M. P. D. / Jane Howse, Case No. 365 ( Vol. VIII.), was liberated, 10- 12- 1924, into the M. P. D. Intended address : 15, Pleasant Grove, King's Cross. / William Wermerling, Case No. 460 ( Vol. VIII.), was liberated, 11- 12- 1924, into the M. P. D. Intended address : 27, Essex Street, Kingsland Road. / Arthur William Lucas, Case No. 6 ( Vol. IX.), was liberated, 12- 12- 1924, to Portsmouth. / WilliamStacey, Case No. 42 ( Vol. IX.), was liberated, 5- 12- 1924, into the M. P. D. ' Victor Stewart, Case No. 258 ( Vol. IX.), was liberated, 1- 12- 1924, into the M. P. D. Intended address; 3, Clarendon Street, S. W. I. ^ Harry Haslam, Case No. 90 ( Vol. X.), was liberated, 5- 12- 1924, to Bolton. / Camille Eugene Frederick Ledeux, Case No. 91 ( Vol. X.), was liberated, 12- 12- 1924, to Oxford. J Percival Rogers, Case No. 187 ( Vol. X.), was liberated, 29- 11- 1924, into the M. P. D. Intended address: 28, Werrington Street, St. Pancras. James Frederick Oliphant Smith, Case No. 163 ( Vol. XL), was liberated, 13- 12- 1924, into fj T the event of information being received of the DEATH of any criminal whose particulars have appeared in POLICE GAZETTE SUPPLEMENT A, the fact should be notified to C. R. O. . As the latest information or subsequent conviction of criminals, whose particulars have been ^ rted in Supplement A, will appear in each issue at the end of the cases, the original numbers l0llld be cross- referenced on the printed lines provided for that purpose. SPECIAL NOTICE. When any person whose portrait and description have appeared in Supplement A is again r^ ted for any offence, and on account of being locally known the finger prints are not sent to fy. - 0. for the purpose of search, it is requested that particulars of such conviction be sent to ^ inal Record Office as soon as possible in order that they may appear in an early issue of lenient A for the information of all forces. '" tedaad Published for His Majesty s Stationery Office by the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police Disirict New Scotland Yard London, S. W. 1. I