THE BALLARAT BANK ROBBERY

Dunstan Times, Issue 550, 1 November 1872, Page 3

THE BALLARAT BANK ROBBERY

(From the Ballarat Star, September 27.) It was perhaps no great harm that the city police court was densely crowded on Thursday morning, when Hugh Alexander Scott stepped out of a positionwhich it had taken him the best twenty years of his life to achieve, to become the associate of felons during the next eight months, at least, and then, if he be released so soon, to recommence life under circumstances as inauspicious as his worst enemy could well desire. The lesson afforded by his unfeigned remorse was more valuable—as being more deterrent from crime—than anything which could be learnt from the cat. As was generally anticipated on Wednesday, the late accountant of the Bank of Australasia pleaded guilty yesterday to a charge of larceny as a servant, namely, to converting to his own use a sum of 110/. with which he had debited the Talbot branch of the bank. This was proved by the manager of the Ballarat branch (who burst into tears and sobbed audibly whilst giving his evidence), by the paying teller at Ballarat, and by the agent at Talbot. Indeed, there needed but little proof in addition to that afforded by the appearance of Scott, which was such as to move the most hardened to pity. From the first he seemed anxious only’ for an opportunity of confessing his guilt, and hiding himself from those whom he had long known under Tsuch widely different conditions; and it was rather fortunate for him £that the necessary evidence was so speedily given, otherwise he would most certainly have fainted ; and even as it was, it was not without difficulty he contrived to stand When being sentenced to twelve month’s imprisonment, without heard labor he staggered back against the dock and gasped in a manner most painful to behold. All this is rather easily understood when it is remembered that Scott (who has at yet scarcely reached the meridion of life) had during 'some time past been receiving a salary of 450/., and that, had it not been for his crime, he would wirhin the next few ' days have been' appointed to the 'managership of the Geelong or Belfast branch. Scott should have thought of all this before, but a mining craze set in upon him, and Tookeys arc said to have more than all else contributed to his ruin: Some there are who think that his predecessor’s great good luck in New Zealand stock incited him to try his fortune in that line ; but one thing appears certain, his social demise is attribu table to a greed for gold. Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about the affair is the fact that he was anything rather than a “ fast ” man, and was rarely, if ever, to be found in those places where Ballarat bank clerks were wont to congregate. On the contrary, he is said to have been of a rather domestic' turn of mind, and to have been most attentive to his wife, as well as to other relatives who, we grieve to learn, we e almost entirely dependent upon