FRAUDS ON PET OWNERS
DEALER SENT TO PRISON
CYRIL JOSEPH COOKE, 33, dealer, of Bosville Road, Sevenoaks, was sentenced at Greenwich Police Court yesterday to six months' imprisonment for frauds on animal lovers. He pleaded “Guilty” to six charges, and asked the magistrate to take into account nine other cases.
Mr. Morgan, for the director of Public Prosecutions, said that in February, 1934, Cooke opened a shop in Lewisham, which he called “The Jerrard Pet Stores”, and answered advertisements inserted in Our Dogs, Fur and Feather, and the like, offering pets for sale. He “bought” the animals, but never paid. He had a stock letter, which he sent when pressed for payment. In the case of guinea-pigs it ran:-
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“Dear Sir,-I am writing to inform you that, unfortunately, I have an outbreak of the snuzzles on the premises, therefore I cannot sell any cavies until the disease has been satisfactorily overcome. Therefore I will ask for your forbearance re settlement in due course.”
In the case of dogs it was distemper.
The MAGISTRATE (Mr. Griffith-Jones).-What is snuzzles?
Mr. Morgan.-A sort of running at the nose which attacks guinea-pigs.
Detective-sergeant Moseley said the police had received complaints about Cooke since 1924 from all over the country, but this was the first time he had been caught.