BANK FRAUDS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3201, 29 May 1909, Page 5

BANK FRAUDS.

"D,;S. WINDLE" SWINDLE. KING COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. Received May 28, 9.55 p.m.' United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyrirrht, LONDON, May 28. Francis King, a clerk in the London and South Western Bauk, came before the Bow street Police Court, yesterday, charged with robbery in connection with the "D. S. Windell" bank frauds. The prosecution alleged that King, who was employed in the Harlesden branch of the bank, forged advice notes for transmission to the other branches to the effect that £750 was being transferred from Harlesden to them, to the account of "D. S. Windell," who was arrested in Madrid in connection with the frauds, Windell, whose real name is Bernard Itaac, in a confession, admitted that he obtained £290 from each of eight branches of the bank. King has been c<7mmitted for trial.

The crime—one of the smartest and most ingenious bank frauds of recent years —was brought under the notice of Scotland Ysrd towards the end of September. The frauds were committed on seven branches of the London and South Western Bank, all situated in the southern suburban side of the metropolis. A sum of £2,030, made up of £630 in gold, and £1,400 in £5 and £lO notes, is involved. The brioches of the London and South 'Western Bank affected were, Vauxhall, Clapham, Belham, Streatham, Dulwich, Forest Hill and Catford. The modus operandi adopted by the swindler was the same in each case, and the circumstances under which the coup was carried out pointed to a very intimate knowledge of banking routine on the part of the perpetrator. On Wednesday, September 23rd, each of the managers of the branches in the South of London received an official communication from the manager of the Harlesden branch stating that a client, "Mr D. Stanley Windell," was transferring his account-of £750 from Harlesden to that particular branch.