CHEQUE'S ADVENTURES

Shannon News, 13 January 1928, Page 3

CHEQUE'S ADVENTURES

SMUGGLED OUT OF RUSSIA

AN INTERESTING STORY. "J

The adventures of a. cheque foi £1.0,000 stated to have been en dorsed in 19.18 on behalf of the Bri tish Government during the politien -upheavel in Russia, were related in a petition of right against the Crown heard in the King's Bench Divisior recently before Mr. Justice M'Card ie. The cheque was endorsed in Aug ust. 1918, by Mr. Lockhart, British . diplomat ie agent in Moscow, and given, in exchange for roubles. The petition was by Mr. Benco' Aronowitz, Ond he asked that ii should be honoured by the Crown. Si Leslie Scott, K.C., on behalf of Mi Anmowitz, said that Mr. Lockhart who wanted Russian currency fo: official purposes, adopted the methoe of selling cheques officially endorsee by him and drawn by a Mr. Higgs ti persons who were in a position l< give roubles.. The cheque was sold h the first instance to Messrs. Tit oft of Moscow, who negotiated it to Mi Henri Hir&hberg, who negotiated it tr Mr. Aronowitz, who paid him roubles

After the revolution, at the end of 1917, said Sir Leslie, Mr. Aronowitz had a forest for which he paid £35,000 and his cash confiscated, but he was able to hide three or four million roubles.

Mr. Hirshberg, who was now dead, was a wealthy textile, manufacturer in Poland. When he went to Mr. Arono witz on behalf of Messrs. Titoff Bros., with the cheque endorsed by Mr. Lockhart, for roubles, Mr. Aronowitz was glad to exchange roubles for the cheque.- Mr. Aronowitz came to England with the cheque, stitched in the lining of his fur cap. Until 1021 it had been impossible for him to present the cheque. When he took the cheque to the Midland Bank, he was informed that the account was closed and that there was no cover. He and his friends went to the Foreign Office and pressed the Government to honor the cheque. Mr. Greogory told them that inquiries would be-made of Mr. Lockhart.

Mr. Aronowitz said that the Soviet Government confiscated his forest and £IO,OOO worth of roubles. He bought the cheque in question for 930,000 Nikolai roubles. The hearing was adjourned.