MISSING FUNDS

Evening Star, Issue 21751, 20 June 1934, Page 9

MISSING FUNDS

PROFESSOR CHAPMAN'S DEATH CORONER'S INQUIRY OPENED Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, June 19. At the coroner’s inquiry to-day into Professor Chapman’s death the medical evidence was that death was duo to respiratory poisoning. There were also indications of narcotic poisoning. Other evidence, w’hich was objected to by the solicitor for Chapman’s relatives, related to Chapman’s handling of the finances of the Royal Society and the Australian National Research Society, of which he was honorary treasurer. It was stated that Chapman had been informed that both societies had insisted on audits of the funds. Chapman in turn had threatened legal proceedings against certain officials. Percival Minell, auditor for the Royal Society, gave evidence that he had discovered a deficiency in the bonds in Chapman's care amounting to £3,200. An adjournment was granted to enable investigations to be made whether any money missing could bo recovered from Chapman’s estate, as large sums are said to be involved.

[Sensational disclosures concerning the financial affairs of Professor Henry George Chapman, director of cancer research at the Sydney University, whose death was recently announced, were made in the Bankruptcy Court upon a petition by the Royal Society alleging that Chapman, as treasurer, had misappropriated the society’s funds, amounting to £3,360, and stating that the society had no security over his estate. Evidence was given of fruitless efforts to locate the professor’s supposed assets, a list of which was attached to his will, amounting to £85,000. Witnesses described the assets as “ mere bluff.” Sir George Julius, chairman of the Australian National Research Council, said that Chapman, as treasurer of that body, had the custody of important books, which were missing, and that Government bonds to the value of £13,500 and £2,500 of the funds of the Research Council could not be accounted for. Witness estimated that Chapman’s assets did not exceed £2,000. Another witness stated that Chapman was constantly being pressed for audits by both societies, and that large sums of money had been drawn from time to time by Chapman from the banks which handled the Research Council’s account.]