EMBEZZLEMENT AND ABSCONDING.

Dunstan Times, Issue 513, 16 February 1872, Page 3

EMBEZZLEMENT AND ABSCONDING.

—o— Anxious inquiries were made on Saturday morning for John Macdonald, a young man who has for several months past occupied the position of confidential clerk and bookkeeper to Mr K. Somerville, manager of the Thames and other gold-mining companies. Equally anxious enquiries were made for a young lady who Las ably presided at a well known city bar dispensing the liquor thereat and at the same time charming the “spoons of the town by her fascinating glances. Up to a late hour last night the inquiries for these parties were unsatisfied and it is generally believed that, havinc united their fortunes they departed from this quarter of the glob ? in \ he steamship Nebrasaa early on Saturday morning. Macdonald was notmd for his stately and dignified bearing, his staid black coat, and “correct” appearance. He was altogether higldy favored in personal attractions and would therefore under any circumstances have proved a loss to the community; but his sudden departure is likely to be doubly felt from the fact that he baa taken with hiniSlS/, the property of various companies managed by Mr. Somerville. He bad received notice toleaveMr. Somerville's employ on the Saturday, and on Friday evening he delivered up the safe key. Nothing was suspected to be wrong, and therefore no search was made on Saturday morning, when their being no appearance on the part ot Macdonald the safe was opened and a deficit of 518/, discovered. It Lad been the custon of the office to place'allsmall amounts of money received for calls and dividends into one bag, and this was kept in the safe until the money was banked. On Friday this bag contained a large sum of money, arising chiefly from calls paid on account of Jundtion shares and business transacted in connection with the Thames Goldraining Company. On Saturday morning the bag was found to have been emptied and stuffed with paper. A cheque for 141/, paid to the Thames Goldmining Co., as a dividend arising from the liquidation of the Poverty and Charleston, had been given in the early part of the week to Macdonald to bank. Instead, however, of placing it to the credit of the Company, it appears that he turned it into gold, and rendered no account of it. Another clerk in the office had met Macdonald on the wharf about 8 o’clock on the Friday evening and had arranged with him to be down early on the following Saturday morning to settle up accounts before taking over the books. At the time his fellow-clerk met him, Macdonald was quietly smoking and talked of the morrow, as though tho idea of leaving' town was the very last thing in his thoughts. When ho failed to present himself in the morning a messenger was sent up to his lodgings and was informed by the landlady that Mr. Macdonald had gone to the North Shore on the previous evening and had hot returned. We believe that at the time H. V. Stevens levanted Macdonald copied the correspondence which passed between counsel relative to the possibility of bringing that individual back, and it appeared, from tho advice then given, that the working of the Extradition Treaty involved such an amount of trouble and expense as to make it almost inoperative. No doubt Macdonald laid to heart these facts, and felt secure in tho course he was following, as the hour at which tho Nebraska left rendered it improbable that he would be detected in Auckland. During the whole of Fit 'ay Mr. Sommerville had been engaged at mining meetings, and consequently coull not personally supervise the business of the office, thus affording ample opportunity for any .irregularity. „We learn that the la ly only took her fair self away, but sb" did so in such a cool and philosophical mam eras to command the admiration of her fellows, and to redeem the fair sex from the accusation of being unable to keep a secret. She performed all her accustomed duties until the bar closed at 11 o’clock at night. She then partook of supper, after which, wishing her friends good night, she loft the house, no doubt joining Macdonald outside, and p rocceding with him on board.