BANK FRAUD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 743, 16 February 1910, Page 7

BANK FRAUD.

'.: A FORGED CHEQUE FOR JE1500.. -, ;: :• SENTENCES. -\<. 'By Toleffraph-Press Association-Oopyriehi., . •■ (Reo.: February 15, 9.15 p.m.) -; :\-::..' : '.;London,' : February 15. 1 At ■ the Old Bailey sentences' have been passed in ;.the] bank .fraud; case cabled on' December.iG, in wiich; .£ISOO was:'obtained from'ibranoh-of the Bank of: England by means of a : forged : cheque: ■ ; Charles Wellingswas : sentenced to five years', imprisonment,. Charles Clarke and Bevington each to three years', penal servitude, .and. Herbert. Millington .to 18 months'. ;-";.-■;-':' ,' : '': ■'•'<''■■- .;:'.-^''v'BTORy'PF;THE'-CRfME!S.v i i -.':- _ A -reell-dressed man.,.walked into ■ .the Burlington Gardens; braiich,of the. Bank of England and presented ah open cheque for- ,£ISOO, which'purported to.'bo drawn py a _w l ell-known customer l of the-bank.-The signature .'was so ' cleverly -'imitatedthat- it deceived the. paying-out cashier, who, without hesitation, banded over the moneyin, notes and gold to th'o-maa who presented'- it. ■-,', '■'- ■',-•'. •; .... .-'■■ - v • , EaTlieiv in' - -the day a 'letter had been received at. the .bank' ostensibly: from a client, and. requesting :tha.t; a. messenger should be sent with''a cheque-book to an address'giyen. : ' This request was complied' with.:: ' :■■-'.;':<:-: ;'•',' : -.-'-,..;':. " ; The. same evening,. when the cheques received during the day oame to be debited to' the various: 'accounts, a certain peculiarity in the, signature, of. the. one for. £1500 was noted,'inquiries wore hastily made, and the fraud'was discovered. '.; Early next'morning- the numbers/of the stolen ;notes. were. communicated to every bank in the: country, "and to all: moneys changers, while'-.:information was ..also cabled; to .'the principal,;banks and exchanges: of the Continent. ;;...-' • The same day.-the polico arrested Chas. Wellings,- and subsequently. Herbert Millington, while. Chas. Clarke fell into their hands the following .morning. .Part of the stolen money:was .also recovered.. '-De-tective-Inspector Fowkr made. the arrests',' ''v.Wellings, who..was, 1 drunk, said, ;"Mr. Fowler;.you'-have, got me well beat;'.: You know."what, a: rough time.:!;have -had, and. 6ince:l saw you last-.1-havebeen practic-. ally starving,., of I : would; hot - have done •it-;-' They 'brought it' to ;me ' yesterday afternoon'and asked; me to write it. ,; L was starving-and had not a penny.,,lt temptedme, and I did the writing for them. I had about ; for iny' share.:■, There ■were three of us. in it. I have - been ;on, the drink; .ever "since; and.was off' to Monte Carlo'.to-night." ■ -When searched, 1 -'.Well--, ings- was'found to ; have' in his possession one, dfilO note, seven ''£h notes,, and somo gbld.::: : X'.:: f; : : , ■-~;■';.•■'. ,-- ': : ; : Millington, who. was : also the'worse for. drink,'replied, ,-fMr. Fowler,'"!..:am only ; the,,;can :(tool) in -this. ClaTke -broughtthe cheque. ' I cashed, it; and gave him a packet of notes.: .He afterwards gave; me .£4BO. •.Ihave.beeVLled into-this; I am'a fool." Millitigtoir had. in.,his. possession; two ,£100'• notes, 'three ,£SO notes, three notes,.and'so.me'gold and.silver; '■■[■ ■■ Clarke had also;,been, drinking; 1 ' When warried-of theohnrge -the man said,."All -I had'out of it is-*2B. .That I got from, Millington.:'. As for: Wellings I. don't know who'you mean.. I do; hot know th'o mani" Be i'was,Marched i and in ;,liis possession were '£T in; gold,'-' a', twenty-franc', gold piece, a'hd'some. silver.; : - ' '. •' . { Wellings is'4s yeai-s of age, Millington 26,. Clarke, 24....,-.'., : ..... ,: : ; ; ; ~