CLERK IN TROUBLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 251, 23 April 1912, Page 5

CLERK IN TROUBLE.

j ALLEGED SYSTEMATIC FRAUD. I By Telegraph—Prew Aasoci&tio*. J Dunedin, Last Night. I At the city Police Court to-day Fred- ] crick Percy Evans, a clerk, formerly in the employ of the city corporation, was charged on five informations with approI>l rai.iu;.f l!io < o'. porntlon'.-s funds. The first churge was that accused had made false entriis in the account book in connection with an account of Lanaham Bros., with intent to defraud. Counsel for th? prosecution stated that accused had Ivon in the service of the city cori poration for over twenty years, and was j ultimat-.lv appointed clerk in charge of the g.-is department. Counsel said Lana- ! ham Bros, paid £l>fl Os (id, but accused credited the firm with only £69 0s fid, .the balance being credited to an old account, of which no one knew anything a bout. "When Mr. Lanaham was sent for, an extraordinary course of falsifying accounts was revealed. Deficiencies were shown, making up the old account, and accused admitted that he had I misappropriated the money. He was susI pended, and afterwards dismissed. The second charge also related to Lanahams, and was in connection with the foregoing, accused forging and uttering & voucher in February last. Lanaham sent a debit note to the corporation for £4 6s 2d, but the voucher was altered by accused substituting the name of Bishop (an ex-employee of Lanaham Bros.) for Lanaham, and altering the amount to £'s 8s 2d. The voucher was receipted iby the signature "W. Bishop/' but the writing, counsel understood, was sworn to be accused's. The next case had reference to Manley and Co., the charge being one of having stolen a cheque for £lO received from Manley in December, 1905, which waß paid into the account of A. Moss, then a well-known bookmaker. Evans' endorsement was upon the cheque. The next charge was one of falsifying the books. In Manley's case the account from June, 1910, to July, 1911. had been properly charged by Evans and properly paid by Manley, but the amounts paid by Manley were larger than the amounts charged' against him in the books, the balances having l been put to the credit of Manley's earlier accounts in order to cover defalcations. Accused was further charged with making false entries in relation to the account of W. B. Manley and Co.

Evidence was given in support of all the charges, and accused. who reserved his defence, was committed for trial. Bail was allowed, accused £3OO on the first charge and two sureties of £l5O each, with accused's own recognisances of ."C3OO on the other charges.