Billinge, Great War

SOLDIER'S FALSE PRETENCES. - A Billinge soldier named Michael Welsh, a private in the 18th Battalion of the Welsh Regiment, and a married woman named Alice Foster, of 7, Gorsey Brow, Billinge, were charged at the Wigan Police Court, with obtaining 12s. 6d. from H.M. Paymaster General, with intent to cheat and defraud at Billinge, on October 26th, 1915. Both defendants denied guilty knowledge, the woman being represented by Mr. J. C. Gibson. - Mr. A. E. Boucher, prosecuting on instructions received from the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the present case was one of a class now very common, existing to an appalling extent in the country, i.e., the obtaining of dependants' and separation allowances by misrepresentation and fraud. On the 4th of March prisoner enlisted in the 18th Battalion of the Welsh Regiment, and shortly afterwards filled up the form used by soldiers claiming allowances for dependants, and on which form he alleged that Mrs. Alice Foster was partially dependant upon him, and that he was in the habit of contributing to her support. Amongst the answers Welsh gave on that form he set out that he was a collier employed at the Winstanley Collieries at a wage of 30s. per week, and that his dependant was "Mrs. Alice foster, aged 43 year, of Fair-view, Billinge, and that she was his step-mother." He further stated that he gave her 26s. per week. Welsh allotted the woman 6d. per day, and signed the form. Although the amount mentioned in the present charge was only 12s. 6d., or one week's allowance, yet the woman had received over £12 in dependant's allowances from the Army Authorities as the result of the statements set out on the two forms mentioned. Eventually information was reeived at the Army Pay Office that for three years prior to his joining the Army Welsh had not resided with Foster at all, but with a couple named Power, in Billinge, although it was true that the woman Foster had brought him up from being three years of age. Therefore Mrs. Foster was not dependant upon him when he joined the Army. - The defendant, Alice Foster, next gave evidence on oath, stating that she adopted Welsh when he was only three years of age, at the request of the late Dean Powell. She kept him for nineteen years, but he then took to drink, and one night, about twelve months before he enlisted Welsh had words with defendant's husband, and left the house. After Welsh had enlisted he suggested to her that as she had reared him he should make her an allowance of 3s. 6d. from his pay each week, and she consented. She only expected to receive 3s. 6d. per week, but when they gave her 12s. 6d. at the Post Office she accepted like anyone else would. She had not the slightest intention to defraud anyone, nor had Welsh. She could not read or write, being just able to sign her name; her daughter filled the form up. - The Bench retired to consult in private, and on their return the Chairman said their decisions were that Welsh must go to gaol for one month with hard labour, and that the woman Foster must pay a fine of £10. She would be given reasonable time in which to find the money. The woman, however, said she would pay the money in Court at once.

(St Helens Reporter, 18 January 1916)