THE CASE OF W. W. CHARTERS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2376, 14 November 1881, Page 3

THE CASE OF W. W. CHARTERS.

Wm. Wombwell Charters, on remand from November sth and 12th, was placed in the dock charged with having embezzled six sums of money, amounting in all to £920, the property of the Ohristchurch, Sydenham, and Suburban Building Society (Permanent), three of the sums—viz., £2OO, £6O and £l4O, were stated in the plaint to have beon appropriated between November 22nd and 27th, 1880. The dates of the other defalcations were Dacember 6th, £250; January 10th, 1881, £150; and January 10th, 1881, for £l2O. Accused had absoonded to England, had been arrested there, and brought here on extradition warrant.

Mr Joynt appeared for the prosecution. Mr Joyce stated that he watched the proceedings for the accused.

Mr Joynt intimated his intention of proceeding with the cases in two sets of three each. He then called—

Walter Palairet, Registrar of Building Societies, deposed that the Ohristchurcb, Sydenham, and Suburban Building Society had been registered on March 27 th, 1879. Accused was entered on the register as manager. William Stewart King, director of the society, produced the oertified rules, referring especially to rules 24 and 25, which set out the duties of manager. Accused was in the employment of the society as manager, up to the end of January, 1881, at a salary of £250 per annum. The society also allowed him £SO per annum as rent for offices. The ohequo produced marked B, dated December 6tb, 1880, for £250, drawn on the Bank of New Zealand in favor of No. 397, bore the signature of witness as director, and was countersigned by accused as manager. It was brought to witness either by accused or a clerk, he could cot remember whioh. At that time the signature of accused was on it. Witness understood the oheque was to be used for the purposes of the society. It was afterwards cashed and debited to the society by the Bank of New Zealand. The cheque produced, marked O, dated January 101 h, 1881, for £l5O, drawn on tb« Bank ef Australasia, in favor of No. 407, " deposit," bore the signature of witness and the countersignature of accused. It was cashed and debited to the sooiety by the Bank of Australasia. Accused brought the cheque to witness for signature. Robert Weston England, a director of the sooiety, proved his signature to a cheque marked D, dated January 10th, 1881, for £l2O, drawn on the Bank of Australasia in favour of " Advance," Aooused had counter*

signed it, and obtained the signature of witness. It had been cashed and debited to {the sooiety by the Bank of Australasia. Ernest L. Lough deposed that in December last he was a clerk in the employment of Draper, Charters, and Co. He remembered being instructed by accused to get the cheque B cashed. Witness did so, and handed the proceeds to aooused. Wm. Tasman Twinning, teller at the Bank of New Zealand, stated that on January 10th, 1881, oheques O and D were paid into the credit of Draper, Charters and Co. He produced the paying in slip whioh they accompanied. The firm was, in consequence, credited with £270. Witness remembered oashing the cheque B for Mr Lough, who endorsed it. The society was debited on that account with £250.

Charles Carr deposed that in January last he was clerk at the Bank of Australasia. The oheques C and D were paid and debited to the account of the society; They were presented by the Bank of New Zealand. Sdward Steine Harley, accountant, doposed that he had examined the books of the sooiety for the financial year ending March 31sfc, 1881. They were a cosh book and a ledger. The writing in them is that of Frederick Paarco, wno was at one time a olerk in the employment of Draper, Charters and Co. The books were not written up after the end of January, ISBI. There is no traoe in them of how the proceeds of the cheques were applied, nor is there any deeds or securities in the possession of the society to represent their value. He produced a cheque book of the sooiety. It oontained the blocks of the three oheques before named. Thoy were all filled in, in the writing of accused. B, £250, was in favor of "Deposit," but to what, or two whom, did not appear. It was usual to give those particulars. C, £l5O, was to " Advance," and D, £l2O, to the same. [The evidence of this witness differed somewhat from the above, but at a later period was oorreoted. It is given, for convenience, as amended.] C. W. Brookes, constable, stationed at Ohristohuroh, deposed that he arrested accused at Bristol on July Ist, on a warrant oharging him with forgery. On July 2nd, at London, he read another warrant to him whioh embodied the charges of embezzlement now being investigated. On this latter occasion he said, " It's right enough, I did it ; I oan't get out of it." This concluded the evidenoe for the prosecution on the first set of informations.

The cases in the other series were then proceeded with, the formil evidence as to the existence of the society, and the position with regard to it of the accused being given. Win. Neighbours proved his signature to a oheque produced, numbered 387, dated November 22nd, 1881, for £2OO. B. W. England gave similar evidence as to cheques numbered 388, dated November 24th, £6O, and numbered 389, dated November 27th, for £l2O. Both witnesses stated that the cheques had been brought to them, either by aocused or his clerk, for their signatures, and they were led to believe that they were required in the operations of the society. Thomas Hamilton, a builder, living at Ohristohurob, deposed that in 1880 he held ten shares in the society. He applied for a loan of £250. The form of application was filled by acoused. He executed a mortgage on certain property to the society as security for the loan. He got the full money applied for, not all at onoe, but in instalments, by the oheques of Draper, Charters, and Co. He did not get any of the money by cheques of the society. Cross-examined by Mr Joyce—He was not sure whether accused or his clerk wrote in the form of application. He borrowed the money to build a house. The security he offered was land known as Foster's land, seotions 2 and 3. MoOonnel and Douglas drew the mortgage. He got £BO from them. He had transactions with Draper, Charters and Co., other than those connected with the Building Sooiety. Ho thought he oould distinguish payments made to him on these several accounts. [Left sitting.]