MISSING FORTUNE.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18237, 22 November 1924, Page 3

MISSING FORTUNE.

MYSTERIOUS MR A.

STRANGE CASE AT HOME.

(bt cable— peess association— copyright) (AXJSTBAMUr AND N.Z. CABLE AS3OCIATIOM.)

LONDON, November 20. A -mi'giing fortune, divorce proceedings in which an Oriental potentate is. concerned, and an alleged gigantio conspiracy form the basis of a most interesting case being h«ard before the King's Bonch. _ .... Charles Ernest Robinson is claiming £125,000, the balance of a sum of £160,000, froln the Midland Bank as money alleged to have been received by defendant for his use, or, alternatively, as damages for alleged negligence. Defendants deny negligence or receiving the money for plaintiff's use, and also allege that plaintiff was concorned with others in a conspiracy to obtain money by blackmail, and is not entitled to recover.

Plaintiff's counsel. Lord Halsbury, K. 0., stated that plaintiff was an Australian booljmaker who came to England in 1896 and started as a bookmaker under tho name of Bloomlield. He lost money and was made bankrupt, in 1909. In 1919 he met a man, Montagu Noel Now, ton, to whom Robinson introduced his wife, from whom living apart. Subsequently . Newton made certain allegations against Mrs Robinson; This resulted in Robmson instructing his solicitors to take divorce proceedings. His wife asked him no to proceed, but he refused to listen to her. Eventually an interview ranged between a man maned Hobos, connected with the firm of solicitors concerned and the Robinsons, a.t which Hobbs handed Robinson £20,000 in bank-notes, which Robinson handed to his wife. Robinson also signed a document to be given to the solicitors for the proposed co-respondent, woo was an Eastern potentate visiting Europe, accompanied by an English gentlenw* and a native secretary. Counsel said it was not proposed to mention the potentate's name. He would be referred to as Mr A. Tho friendship between Mrs Robinson ana Mr A, developed into great effecuon on her part, and she arranged to accompany him to his own country. Tliey went to Paris, where a knock was heard at the door of their room in the | hotel. Mrs Robinson opened it, ana Newton rushed in and said: "Now 1 have got yoa and the evidence I want." Mrs Robinson returned to London. Newton called and forcibly took from, her £IO,OOO out of the £21,000 she had left after paying Hobbs £4OOO costs. Subsequently Robinson learned that instead of tire matter bang settled for £25,000 ifc was settled by a cheque for £150,000 given by Mr A., the proceeds cf which were divided.between Hobbs and Newton and Mr A.'s aide-de-camp. Counsel farther stated that Messrs Applefcoa, in January, 1920, sent a letter to toe Midland Bank asking them, to open on account for' Robinson, enclosing a specimen of his agnature. A cheque was given on the bank which, was collected. Next day Hobbs cached a cheque for £130,000, signed "C. Robinson." Hobbs paid in £120,000 to a Paris bank, -where Mr A.'s aide-de-camp and Newton also opened accounts. Hobbs transferred "90,000 francs from his own account to the aide-de-camp's. Investigators were unable to trace anything from Hobbs's to Newton's aocount, but Hobbs bought 3,300,000 French bonds and got nd of half of them and approximately the amount of their value, namely, £40,000, was mysteriously paid into Newton's account.