MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2197, 9 July 1914, Page 11

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

EMBEZZLEMENT- 4 ? CRAMOND COMMITTED FOR -i>;"v::; ii i'-;;:;:;.;,TRiAL. ; :.;';;--:.;; i ;y ■ j. l ; Horace "Arthur Cramond, 'well;' known in Wellington,.and,ktely local 'manager for.lThos. Cook and Son, tourist 'agents,' .'appeared;, before Mr.'..-W.• G. Riddell, ■5.M.," j-esterday, on eight- sep'arate.;;' informations •:, with . embezzling, riioneys'.belonging'tov.that firm. ' The charges'wore:- 1 - ",..'•'-'■'■ ■''-. : ■ .•; : (l)-'Oii"-Fel)fuary'-15. thoft. of £165 •'-'■.■'"•'6s.'Sd.'. : '''.- "•■■■"' "'.'.'. : ; (2) On • March ,'3l; ; . theft of £30. -..- (SY-Ori: April 9,, theft.of £71). "'" " '.'■' (4) On.April. 17, theft' of £452 Bs.. , '(5),0n April 24, theft of £07 Bs.' ';.(0)On May 5, theft of £350. ■- (7) On-May 8, theft of £250.' .(8) On May 13, theft.of £50. The.total .amount alleged to have been stolen by. tlie accused was, £.1435 2s.- Bd< ' Chief Detective Brobcrg prosiecutod arid Mr,-M. Myers, with Mr! 11. Kennedy,':appearecl for Crainond....

';: i Sales and Cheques. '.-Maurice O'Brien, ,Givil Servant, and secretary to the .New Zealand Executive. Committee of the Panama-Pacific

Exposition,; said that the New Zealand Government's representative in San Franciscoy Mr. Clifton, left for 'Frisco on January 17 last, arid' witness pur-, chased tickets.from Cooks for him arid his family, paying £165 6s. Bd.j for the tickets.,;': - •■'"■■■'.■-. '■

Annie'';Gilpin said that her father,' who'had died on May 11 last, had paid to Coolcs a sum,of £70 for a proposed trip. ■ She- w-ciit a.iid saw Cramond on April; 3, and asked for "the £70: back.. The accused gave her a cheque for the;amount, payable to Mr. T. M. Wilford, who was' the ; latc Mr. Gil-> pin's solicitor. ' Robert Ernest' Flaws, managing clerk for Messrs." :Wilford and Levi; barristers and solicitors, also, called,; produced a cheque for £70, signed •by Horace Cramond, for, Thomas Ccok and Son. . The cheque Hvas received from- Miss Gilpin on April 9—the date on which it was made put., .; Valantine Herbert Heath, clerk employed by Levin and Co!, said that :a' cheque.for £50," signed by Horace Cram-' oiid for Thomas Cook and Son, was received by his. firm 'on May'l3, 1914. The-.books- of the firm, showed no re--cord- of: .'salei for'the; cheque... ..This indicated thit'; cash, had .been paid out for' the^cheque. '.-''..'." •;'.:. ;..I■; /:,-■ •. ■„-::-:' ;.';;■: : Formal evidence "as to 'receipt : .. of cheques ;was given' by John' Scholield, Frederick Claude Walton,', jand■'. John Wuliam, Bright, bank' clerks. '. ■ Kenneth Lionel i-Kingj cashier, for Thomas 1 Cook. and. Sonj, stated, that', on tlie,24th ; of -each .mbiith'statemerits-, showing the transactions andoperatioris on the banking 'account Were made but l by i.Cramond for transmission to the New Zealand manager at Auckland. Craf. mqnd did not .refer"to witness; at'-'alL - ' Witness; knew,;; nothing. ::b'f; 'several' .cheques -which.' had /been and w;'liich-.were' : the'subject: of "the charges.. There was, no entry, in the 'firm's -books of the ,£7o,which had- been paid by -Mr.i Gilpin.: -'After. Mr. Gilpin died 1 .the £70was paid iii/fe:Mr;-.-Wilfbrd.,-The.:other-cheques' in accused's' handwriting, but:the.butts had.'ript been.filled'in-by Cramond. There was .nothing ; to 'show that the moneys mentioned iiv.-t!hc in-; formations had-been draw'n'o.iit 'in coiiriection with r the-firm's : transactionSj:arid: nothing to show that thb ; sunis hadi yet. :beeii : ;refiinded. l: ■■ ■ f ■■'.:'}':'. 'V-'J:-' v: "Clean Sweep of Everythins." :' / ; Robert Angus, New Zealand -'manager' for Thomas Cook.and Son, 'testified' that Oraihbnd had been-in,tho,firhi's'employ foi.;. 26 years, ,iip: till ,'theuniddlo of, last May,-..when'.witn'ess '/suspended; hirii.;' The monthly, statement froni '.Crariiond ■ was due on April .24,. arid• wheri' it : ttid not. arrivo\witnesß'.left.. Auckland ■ for; Wol:. lingtbn,' and'-subsCqueiit;iriy'estigatioris' ;iiecessitatod,; tho,: accused's;,'.suspension... Upon. examining the , : lxK)ks:. witness. discovered that;the'butts" of 'several cheques; 'ff,hich,;had Jieeri. issiied';by;,.the "accused, . had.,not ; been filled. in;;. -'There w'er'e; no e'ritries'in tlie firm's books to.correspond ;with'th'e;cheques': '•;;''; ' ;■ ; Cramond ; subsequently. - l witriesa. : that : he';had ! beeii ; :wbrried : by;dehts/and; ;'said,-. Vl:':want;.:toVni'akei.!a; .clean sweep of ,it._"'', He practically adinitted appropriating ,'m'pney : id, ■ his;'.. 1 , own' use,.. and-, added/, that, vthere. was'f. no: likelihood of: him absconding as n'e.intehcled:'tb defend !the.proceedings;; '../■-'- y'V '•;.'-.:;■';.A.'.,,";/'*'•, : 1 '■;'-p'i;-:;;Cramond's ''Salary^, l - 1 ;'.-'; ,--i' t -;, .; To Mr.rMyers: Cramond.went;.tbSydney andstaj'ed at the" Hotel ''Metrbpqle'; under .his"; bwir-name. had.;'iib--'thing.to do with'the;fixing bf Crairibnd's salary, : 'or Anybody} else's.; ;v,:;.( 1 .; ,; : ; i !:; v :;i : coursOjOf the year;-'a- : considerable sum:of.-.riioney. is': handled ,;by, the manager of' Cook- in Wellington Yes; .yabput ,£50,000. ",:;>: ;; A'mari.;ui-.Crainond's,.positio.ri, has'to:keeprupv;considerable'- appearances?--t, : -.•And to -do this/ it'.. in'ust.'cost':. considerable aniourit;of.. 7 mouey'?--- < fYes;i I ,snn»pse it does."-.;; N ;...,' >:.' ..'' v.-; -. •'Un3prr'r-Ci'anten'd ! s v . not; vCpbk's' bpokingsiinorea'se;/b'y;abb"ut £900.0, peri.yeai'.'r-! 'Yes, increased - it."::-:'.- ; ,: 1 ';:- Aud'tlia't'.vivould.J.iriqrease.Cook-i'arid Son's profit?t-''Yes.''-,v :'.:.';.:;:.-'.': '■■' : Continuing, witness:said that' Cooks' did not 'allow vtheir .-any; nioneys'for, expenses inourred in picking •iip'';b , usinMSi'--'-The ! 'ac'duieol , a''salar7 i ' : was.£175 a^year,:,aild ; h : e.;h'ad been -receivihg this as well as- commission and. bonuses .siricea9o6.';::\;v' ; ';-.','' -v?- ' :^'>; :; y-V : -;

Wliiit. comniissioii .did Cramond,' ceive ?—"Four, shillings; per 'cent.. on allbusiness .trarisacted;"-plus ' 10 per. cent.' '.bonus',on; Wellington office.profits.'/, ; >'.•;!'-' ; would 1 ' make.-'Cramorid's about £250 per it-would, be.-' at .'least',; £300, '.■-.;■ Ho 'drew :£25; ; per' '.month, and any. difference' was adjusted; at.the'end of -tlie ':yoar,Vt>-\; '<:-.■■■' ■.■;. ;.-', ;: : 'Do, you;;know'that' Cramond ■' ,;drew : cheques'.in. l antioipatibii.. of. .his 'salary and commission?—'' Yes;"; 1 '- 'ft'; ' ;i ;,;; .. Crariiond -has been: in','the-firm's employi'for 26;<yen;rs?-—"Yes.;';: '..... ;.',.■• i^VPrivate";Embarrassments. - ;;V;; :.-::''You'are.aware. that; he'has'been.piit to considerable, 1 espe'nsbr;.through;; hisj wife's . delicate' 'health Yes,'and. '■„ I ani very sorry.,".. '':■.'; ,')',, : Also.-that.he;has a;;'family,.; 1 of four: jchildreri?—"Yes;.";; :■'; -V .;. "';■ i; '; 'And .that, they have,had; aVgreat deal; of; illness'.als'oPrr-''Yes;'' l '■■• f ■ -.V."■; ■:■'■'■ Do you know ■ that (not sbt.lpng ago, Cramond was i burnt out ?r—"Yes." .-' '■'■. Isuppbse Cooks' did not give him a Loniis {.n.'tliat account?-—'No' I don't; think/so."'-:■;■/ '•'■'' ':.-':■■-..■ ;-y ; '- ; v, ;';.■'.'.:i-/--;;.lii reply- to'.further questions.witriess said thatlie'-rememb'ered.when Cramond '.was.'called .upon to pay, l £18 for a'.forged cheqiip: which had; been; passed into, the firm.'. 1 Witness .was.nbt.awarp'that 305.. per month was deducted, from Ills' salary' :rii'order.to'pay off the.;£lß; .-.'lt 1 was''a. matter "twhicli was'' dealt ;.with by tho .Melbourne office; He admitted that "itwas ; difficult.' for .Cranipncl to: :'live., Cfainond: had,mado"claims on, the firm' for, moneys ■■which; he considered .were' duo .to-him'i',He;knew that Cramond'had-ap-plied .for.aii .iiicr'ease 'some -time "ago,: and witness had -recommended it;; : : ' : .

;; This/cbricluded Mr.iMj-ers's.examiua-tion. .-':■; V l -..' ■) ,■•.-.■ : :, ;: 1 .;,.,'.'-.'. ;

To'Chief-Detective Bi'oberg:; It.was, not incumbent fbr'the accused to spend inpney.- to procure' .business, -The firm did; dotible.; t.hb,;business iri: Aucldandi yet np-nibney-was, spent to'procufb'Vit; .;;.- The firm has a wbrld-widc>,reputation ? ■^"Yes." 1 "■■•:. '',-.,'..'/ : :;/':; ■'•■; ' ■'.'.'

1 Mr'.', Myers:, For what?—-"Salaries paid." ..i-.v'-.-';'■',-'-. Detective An'drevys. gave' formal Evidence ;as" to .bringing the accused back :to. Wellington.'-:';'.; .-'', ■/■'.'"'.-.;-''; ; '',• 1 Tlie accused '-reserved his. defence, arid, pleaded riot guilty to the eight charges.He was committed to ~the; Supreme Court-.for trial, bail, being-.''allowed' in the siiin of £500 and:two'sureties of £250;cach. -. .:.;:*: :..'■.'■■•■''•.'.''■■,.' ' 1 vALLEGED^ROBBERY, AT SEA. v;-: Daniel U'Kccfe -was'■; charged '■ with theft, of a watch, a chain, a jjendant, ,a ; ring,; a silver' - sovereign" case,- a tiepin,'l and £10.in- money, valued in all at!£26 17s. Gd.; tlie 'property of Stovcn Andrew Tilley. ' ,'flie theft',.was alleged to/have, been coriimittcd on tlie steamer Nikauduriug;the voyage.from Nelson, to' Wellington ..oii Friday, last. phief-Detbctive ; Broberg '':' prosecuted,. and Mr. P;;W.- Jackson defended.. .

Steven Andrew Tilley, -miner, residing at l'uponga, in the Nelson district, said that on July.3 he left Nelson-by., the Nikau for; Wellington, shortly-after 1p.m..- .'On arrival at Mo'tueka..witness; went ;ashore, and had "several drinks, after,-which' 'ho returned to the ' ship., Some thife during- the run from Motueka .to tlie French I'ass, witness became, ill. arid he was advised to go. and hare a sleep. Before going to bod, witness handed his,property to the accused for safe custody, thinking that he Was the steward. When the-vessel arrived .at Einsließay (French Pass), witness was asleep, and lie slept on till arrival at Wellington. The articles produced were his. property.; .-■:;.. .

To Mr. .Jackson: Ho was coining to Wellington, to attend a Labour confer-

encc. He did not have any "send-oft" at Nelson. Witness had three, or four, drinks at Nelson, and several at Motuoka. ' Shortly after leaving'Motucka, witness, had two' or three whiskies on the boat, and wa's then.ill. ;i : '•'

Aflei o\idence Chailes John King, of Picton, as to tlie anest and searcli of the accused, upon whom Uio missing aiticles* moic found, the accused was remanded till Snlurdaj, when furthei cvadonce mil bo called Bui was allowed in the sum of £o0 A FORGED CHEQUE Jack James Hyanis, who was represented b> Mr T M Wdford, was diaiged with foigmg tho name ot Robt R Hall to a cheque foi £10, and uttering the same to Arnj Lees Amy Lees, clerk at the Grand Hotel, said that on June 28 accused camo into the hotel and ordered a room Ho gave the name of "R. Hall," and was allotted Room 14 He tended a cheiiue foi £10, and'after receiving the change, asked whether "Mi Hall, bemor," had aimed Witness replied m tho negative The cheque was paid into the bank, bnt was returned marked "no account" Detectrt e-Seigeant Rawle said that on July 2 ho interviewed the accused, and showed him the chequo Hyams said that someone had got it on to him, and he know that there would be tioublo He had received the cheque fiom a man whom lie did not know. Witness found on the accused two otlier cheques One was made out for £7, purporting to bo signed by "J W Kmsey," and tho other was made out for £6 10s, purporting to be 'signed by "Arthur T Duncan." The accused pleaded guilty, and was committed -to the Supreme' Court for sentence.

' A BRIDEGROOM-ELECT Chaiges ot insobriety, resisting tho police, and damaging a police constable's uniform, valued at £3 14s. 6d , weio proferred against John Johnston, who pleaded guilty to all the charges Mr V R Meredith, who appeared for the acensrd, stated that Ins client had boon given a send-oft on a ship, m honour of his coming marriage Whilst walking down the l whoif a number of £1 notes blow out of his hands into the watei Ho wasidiunk at the time, and wab intent upon jumping ovci tho side to got tho notes However, borne people- Jecured tho money foi him, but he still persisted in his endeavour lo lump into the haibour When a policeman camo up, ho wrestled with him, and damaged his uniform Counsel asked tho Magistiato to deal hghtlj with tho accused, as lie was a first oftendci On tho cliargo of resisting, Johnston was fined 20s , and on tho chargo of damaging tho officers' uniform he wad ordered to make good tho damage done , For insobiicty ho was convicted and discharged. , ' INSOBRIETY Two first offenders for insobriety were convicted and discharged, two others were fined os. each, and another ' was lined 10s