MELBOURNE DEFAULTERS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 452, 8 March 1890, Page 5

MELBOURNE DEFAULTERS.

ALLEGED FRAUDS FOR 1 THOUSANDS. The Melbourne “Age” received by last mail contains particulars of tho discovery of two cases of alleged fraud for very large amounts in that city. Both are reported in the same issue of the paper, and serve to show that Melbourne is a place of big things of more kinds than one. Louis C. Lawrence, managing clerk to the firm of Lyons and Turner, solicitors, of Collins-street, was arrested on a charge of stealing over £3,000, moneys belonging to the firm. The prisoner is a married man, about 32 years of age, a native of the We3b Indies. For seven years he has been in the employ of the firm, having come from New Zealand with excellent references. The junior partner, Mr Turner, left for England on a holiday some little time ago ; and the whole management of the office passed into Lawrence’s hands. He had been secretly living fast, and when he had the chance of handling the firm’s money with little check he used it to pay off' pressing gambling debts. One of his first acts was to appropriate a sum of £365 lls Bd, which was paid into the office in settlement of a land transaction. Further gambling transactions and losses followed, and on lsth January of the present year he tried a bolder flight. A cheque for £BOO was paid on that day by the Permanent Executors’ Company to take up a mortgage on landed property, and Lawrence, instead of crediting the amount to the firm, converted it to his own use Next day he opened an account in his own name at the Clifton Hill branch of the National Bank, paying in a credit of nearly the whole amount abstracted. This appears to have been frittered away with book-makers. On the 7th ult. a client called to know why a certain mortgage had not been taken up. By a ready excuse Lawrence staved off discovery, and he arranged the mortgage business by using a cheque for £1,900 paid in the day before. Mr Lyons’ suspicions were aroused—he made inquiry and informed the police of his suspicions. He and a detective hunted Lawrence up, and found him at Moonee Valley races, busily engaged in the betting ring. He was at once arrested. He had a valuable ring with a splendid brilliant on his person ; a splendid scarf pin set with pearls ; and a six-chambered revolver. He made no attempt to use the last-named. It appears he had lost over £4OO at races on the previous Saturday in a desperate attempt to recover his previous losses.

The other case is somewhat more peculiar. Hector Munro was some years ago clerk with the Bank of Australasia in charge of the Moe branch up country. There lie distinguished himself by defending the bank’s property single-handed against a desperate gang of bushrangers. He got speedy promotion after this, and about three years ago he was appointed manager of the Collingwood branch of the Bank. Until about twelve months ago his management was excellent, but of lato rumours have readied the office that Munro was giving way to drink. Nothing was proved, however, and nothing was found wrong with the management. A few weeks ago his usual holiday was granted, and a Mr Garrard sent down in temporary charge. As usual, a strict audit was made, and it was found the accounts would not balance. No suspicion was excited at first, but further failure to balance called in the Bank’s inspector, and defalcations to the tune of over £I,OOO were discovered. Munro has since been missing. He is a married man with four children, and is over 42 years of age.