CONSPIRACY CASE

Southland Times, Issue 21090, 23 May 1930, Page 8

CONSPIRACY CASE

TWO MEN CONVICTED. I ______ (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) (Rec. 1.15 a.m.) Sydney, May 22. In the Sydney Criminal Court, John Gunn, aged 45, a solicitor, and Allan Howden, aged 40, a sharebroker, t were convicted of conspiracy in connection with the Property Insurance Company, Limited, and remanded for sentence. A message from Sydney on December 31 last stated: A sensation has been caused by a raid by detectives on the offices of the Property Insurance Company, Limited, Pitt street, and the arrest of John Gunn, managing director, and William J. Beckett, a director, who later were charged with conspiring between January 1, 1927, and December 27, 1929, to defraud members of the public. The police state that £150,000 is believed to be involved. A detective for some weeks has been engaged investigating the formation and operations of the company, which began business in 1927 with an authorized capital of £200,000. His work was done so quietly that the staff were dumbfounded when their labours were suddenly interrupted by the entry of detectives and police, who took away books and papers considered needful for the prosecution’s purposes. Gunn was for many years in legal practice in Sydney. Beckett is connected with Beckett's newspaper.- A third man, Allan Fraser Howden, was also before the Court in connection with the same charge. All were remanded until January 6. Bail was allowed.