How the Commercial Bank was Robbed.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 372, 29 May 1889, Page 6

How the Commercial Bank was Robbed.

A recapitulation of th© circumstances attending the robbery of the Collingwood branch of the Commercial Bank, of vrhich AJlpress was accountant and teller, will be interesting at this juncture. It will be remembered that on Saturday, the 26th of January, it was disco \ ered that Allpress, who had been in the employ of the bank for many years, and had enjoyed a good character, was missing. The bank had been closed on the previous Saturday (Anniversary Day), when Allpress left, after balancing his cash in the usual way ; buton an examination of his accounts and cash being made, it was found that some £7,000 was missing. The report at once went abroad that he had absconded, and this was afterwards found to be true, and that he had thus ruined a long and honourable banking career. Beginning in a very small way, he had, by diligence, good conduct, and general aptitude for the business, worked himself up to a position of great trust and responsibility. For over a year he had occupied the position of agent, or, as it was termed, sub-manager, at the Wycheproof branch of the bank. In December of last year he had given so much satisfaction that he was transferred to the Colling.wood branch of the bank, where he occupied the position of accountant and teller. He was believed to be above suspicion, and nothing whatever in his behaviour, his general de meanour, or the way in which the business of the bank was conducted, drew attention to him other than as an officer who was most exemplary in the discharge of his duty. However, when the Monday morning came, after the holiday, and he failed to present himself at the usual time, it was found that something was wrong. A messenger was at once despatched to his lodgings at South Yarra. The answer there was that nothing was known of Mr Allpress, and that he had not been seen since Saturday. By this time considerable excitement, not to say alarm, had been created by his absence, and it was feared that there was something wrong with the cash. Access could only be obtained by theuse of two keys.oneof thesebeing kept by the- teller (Mr Priestly), and the other by the missing teller. Finding he did nob turn up within a reasonable time, the head office was communicated with, and the duplicate key obtained. Then when the safe was opened it was at 'once seen that the alarm as to the safety- of the bank's cash was by no means unfounded,- for no less a sum than £7,000 was missing froru the moneys in the safe. It appears that the last balance had been made in December, and the amount - missing must certainly have been taken since then. As might be expected, the officers of the bank were very chary of giving information, even to the press, and it was only with the greatest difficulty and perseverance that the press was able to obtain anything like full and reliable reports of Allpress's flight and the condition in which he had left the bank's money. It was difficult to say over what length of time the frauds had extended One thing, however, was quite certain, and that was that the sum of £7,000 was missing. There was no getting over that unpleasant fact. The absence of Allprees at such a critical juncture was, it need hardly be said, confirmation strong as proofs of holy writ that he was the culprit. And then ife flashed upon everyone who knew him that the young man had been living a somewhat extravagant life during the past two or three years, and particularly during the past few months." It was thought that he had made money over the land boom, and therefore not very much surprise was exhibited at his apparently somewhat affluent circumstances. Ho was about 30 years of age, and was in receipt of £280 per annum. An information was sworn against him on the following day, but up to the present time it has proved -mere waste paper. — "Melbourne > Standard."