FRAUDS TO THE EXTENT OF THIRTY THOUSAND POUNDS BY A SOLICITOR IN TASMANIA.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 42, 17 April 1862, Page 3

FRAUDS TO THE EXTENT OF THIRTY THOUSAND POUNDS BY A SOLICITOR IN TASMANIA.

Escape of the Offender via Otago and Lyttelton. By a late mail from Tasmania a warrant was sent to the Chief Commissioner of Police for the apprehension of Mr. Edward John Dawes, late solicitor of Launceston, who is charged with having committed frauds to the amount of £30,000. It appears that he made his way to Otago, where he stayed some days. Thence be went, to Lyttelton —his movements there are uncertain, but it is much to be feared he has escaped to England by one ol the wool ships loading at the Canterbury Port. The following extract is from the Otago Police Gazette.’ As it is quite possible he is still within the colony, the description may help to discover him. A warrant has been issued by William Gunn, Esq., Police Magistrate, Launceston, and is now in the Commissioner’s office, for the arrest of Edward John Dawes, solicitor, late of Launceston, who is charged with having committed frauds to the extent of £30,000. This offender arrived at Otago about the middle of November last, per Scotia. Ho has since been traced to Invercargill where he resided for a short time at Wentworth’s Royal Hotel. Ho was afterwards seen in Dunedin on the 31st December, on which day he embarked on board the Albatross, taking his passage for Auckland, but altering his destination to Port Lyttelton and was last seen there on the 4th of January last, at the Mitre Hotel. It is expected that he will endeavour to escape to England by tbe Chrysolite or Evening Star, wool ships now lying at Port Lyttelton. He is described as about 30 years of ago, 5 feet 5 inches in height, pale complexion, dark red (nearly black) whiskers and moustache, dressed when last seen in a long dark

t.oth coat- and waistcoat, wears an eye-glass, speaks very quick, and always appears in a hurry. Generally i-aeries a small black portmanteau. Further information has been received that this offender was seen in Auckland about a week ago, it is not, however, considered reliable.