£80,000 IN A SUIT-CASE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 99, 19 January 1918, Page 5

£80,000 IN A SUIT-CASE

G lilt MAX SECURITJKS HIDDKN IN SHIP'S HOLD. A mysterious suit-case figured in the Prize Court, recently, when application was made to Sir Samuel Evans dm behalf of the Crown for leave to sell the contents of the case, as German poperty seized in the Kristianiafjortl at Kirkwall on November '2 last ivliile ou a voyage from liergeit to New. lotk Tin. ease was discovered hidden behind a lot of wooden partitions in one of the ship's baggage holds. it was unlabelleii, and as no one claimed it it was opened, and found to contain a number of ccupons and bonds to the total value of £79.477 19s. The coupons and some of the bonds were Imperial .Japanese bonds, and tliey were, counsel was informed, issued by a German bank under some arrangement with the Japanese Government.

Mr. S. J - Spurling, assistant censor I at the Postal Censors' Office, said the certificates wore issued in New York and sent to Germany to be filled in and t,iien returned to New York. Two certilicates found corresponded with thn amount of the bonds and coupons in the suit case. The President: What would happen to these? Mr. Spurling: They would he sold in London. They are all bearer bonds. The President: You don't know whoso suit-ease it is? Counsel: No, it is not addressed at all. The. President declared that the. securities were of enemy origin proceeding from Germany, and ordered them to be sold, the proceeds to be paid into court to remain there until the conclusion of peace.