BREACH OF TRUST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3395, 23 August 1890, Page 2

BREACH OF TRUST.

Defalcations by * Lodge' Secretary.

A■. serious, confession of having embezzled the moneys of a number of small societies was mado on Monday afternoon by Councillor Andrew Geddes, who appeared at the Melbourne .watch-house and offered himself for arrest, For several years past ho has acted as Secretary to the No. 1 Teirt of the Independent Order of Eeohabites, and in this capacity has had charge of the money's coming to the Society. He.has also boon conneoted with .other societies in tho capacity of trustse, and by some means secured sums of money from each which he alleges he has misappropriated. The Societies in question are the No. GO Tent of tho Independent Order of Hoohabites, and tho female tentof the same order. Tho accused made several explanations as to the way in . which tho money had been spent, but none of them were regarded as satisfactory. One of the explanations given was that he had been involved in his present trouble by assisting relatives and friends. Although ho had been unaccountably absent from tho city for a few days last week, no one suspected that anything was wrong, as he was a man who seemed to impress all with whom he came in contact as being absolutely honest and above suspicion. On Wednesday last he loft his homi in the morning, at the samo time informing his wife that if he did not return to tea ho would be away from tho city for some time. When he loft home it was his intention to quit tho city permanently; but' on reflection ho saw that other

eople with whom he hod been noting light be involved iu suspicion, so he ocided to giva himself up, as k lone was to blame, He desired t( ive as much information as possibl o tho trustees of the various Sooietio i'ith which ho was connected ii rder to enable them to trace ou ho whole of the deficiencies, A ir his memory would enable hin o go, he entered into an explanatioi f a number of the items, but in thi bsenco of tho' books of the Com ttinyhewas unable to speak decis rely as to all tho amounts. Pron lie explanations, however, whiol 'ere given,'it is stated that thi Mai amount of monoy embezzlet aust bo very considerable, On tin (inclusion of the interview sonii lestitatjpn wp felt by the trustee! s to what cope should ho adoptei nder tho circumstances. It wai eoided that he should go'to the Citj Vatchhouse, and there make a con 3ssion of his defalcations, with thi esult already stated The accused 'ho is thirty years of age, is i lomber of the City Council, and hai )r_some years represented' the Vic 3tia Ward, and is regarded as on< f tho most popular men, He hai iken a prominent part in city affairs nd at the last election contested larlton South' for the Legislate issembly, but was defeated.-; Hi lso identified himself with the Vic' orian Militia, mid has for some timi >ast commanded a company, in' tin Ist Battalion during Colonel Robert iu England, and onl; a few'days agouC !? a 3' ■ «?w'ed t! tho rank of major. He "was alaprr'i prominent member of the. Baptis Uhuroli,in'wliiolihqtqqka- deal o interest, He followed' the' bus'ines of an auctioneer andvaluatoi'/aiid i serried man. with fear onjldret),