CHARGED WITH THEFT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2470, 25 May 1915, Page 7

CHARGED WITH THEFT

A MILITARY OFFICER COMMITTED FOR TRIAL (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Duneilin, May 21. At Milton to-day tho cases against Lieutenant-Colonel J. 11. M'Clymont, and Captain J. ii. Henderson, tA' theft of various sums received for tho 1-lth (South Otago) Regiment, were called Oil Mr. W. C. Maegregor (Crown Prosecutor) appeared on behalf of the prosecution, and Mr. 1). lleid and Mr. 'J iionison defonded M'Clymont. Captain Henderson was lirst- charged with, about June 10, 191'J, ho did steal the sum of £!)y os., being a portion of £1292 9s. 6d., received by him in May, 1912, on behalf of tho Government, for payment of officers and men of tlu> 1-lth Regiment during tho camp ai Milton. Mr. Maegregor said that there were several charges against Henderson. Mr. Hamilton, his counsel, was unable to attend, and had arranged for an adjournment. The case was adjourned untO Juno 1. Colonel M'Clymont was charged that, about August 9, 1913, he did steal £21 being the amount of a cheque paid I him as the share of canteen profits of the 14th (South Otago) Regiment. . Mr. Maegregor said there was a series of charges of theft against accused. Accused was tho officer iu charge at Milton of the 14th .(South Otago) Regiment. The books of the Regiment were examined by tho Audit Department and were found not to ho in order. Tliore was a deficiency of about; £300 and the accounts were not ill a satisfactory state. Tho bank account had been improperly operated on bv accused on several occasions and tho. regimental account w.as not in a satisfactory state. Further inquiry disclosed defalcations for which accused mTi 0 comn inndiiig officer was responsible. On August 9, 1913, Colonel Smith sent a cheque for £21 7s. to accused, who paid it, into his private account at the bank, instead of the regimental account. Accused said ho credited it iu the private books he kept and that ho P a l3.°' l t °f it certain amounts. Chief Detective Herbert said ho saw accused on February 6. Accused admitted receiving a cheque for £21 75., and said he paid it into his own private account, Ho produced tlia books showing tho money credited to the 14th Regiment ("special"), and said what was left was still in tho bank and amounted to £6 13s. 5(1. The difference was disbursed as follows: £7 for making up deficit for regimental ball; £3 to George Reed, for regimental picnic organised by himself; £3 ss. to Adjutant lor camp expenses; 16s. Id. to lv. Stewart, leaving £7 3s. Id. in tho private account. He further said tho olhcer commanding the regiment had a , J 'ght to spend for all requirements moneys outside the Government grant at his discretion and for the good of tiie regiment. Accused reserved his dcfcnco and was committed for trial. Accused was further charged with tho theft of £10 (s. 7d., being the purchase price ot a cooking range for the offi,ness R t tho Matarci Camp. llto case for the prosecution was that payment for the range out of xhe regimental account was an improper ono. fho case was dismissed. th S tt clla . r Kcd with stealt- n ;' tim prl<;o l )aicl to Halenstejn Bros, for a sword ind bag presentod by hnn personally to George 1 nomas Catto. The evidence for the prosecution was fhn n'° at Catto understood the piesent to bo a personal one from accused, but that payment for it wis made out of the regimental funds. niflifnr\ e -j /" 0I ?P S , 011 (Government a d toi) said he had attempted to dofi,L ac<; ounts and had found a deficiency of about £400. Accused was committed for trial. M Clymont was further charged with .tealing £00, the amount of a cheque Uie , l4lh' 5 T? llm - 0 " l' 1 ® ba " l;in S account of 6, 1913 Reslment > 011 or March Counsel for the prosecution stated tlat frfy m M 2 the accused pi,,, chased 600 bed mattrasses at Is 6d each and sold them at Is. Bd. each to the regiment, and on June 10, 1912 accused gave a cheque in payment. Nearly for' e /ln another che q«a Tnuus 0 ? llad been P aicl twice. his account of the matter accused was somewhat involved, and mentioned 'fhtT °5 . whloh bo held in trust for the band ol tho old regiment Chief-Detective Herbort said the accused had informed him that the £50 belonged to "A" Company and band, and had nothing to do with tho 14tlJ Regiment He got a cheque from Captain Henderson, and cashed it, payin" the money into his private account, and lie still held it m trust for "A" Company. The entry in accused's private book was under the heading "14th Regiment, Special." ° Accused was committed for trial. On the charge of stealing £50 and received by accused as commanding officer on behalf of the 14th Regiment from the Drill Hall Trustees, wc°ro withdrawn. Mr. Thomson asked' if these amounts were included in the £300 mentioned by the Audit Inspector as the amount of the defalcations. Mr. Maegregor said he could not say whether they wore or not. There would probably be further charges and counsel could refer to the matter again. Accused was admitted to bail, himself m £200 and one surety of £200.