THE CHRISTCHURCH FORGERY CASE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1360, 2 October 1886, Page 2

THE CHRISTCHURCH FORGERY CASE.

Referring to tbe charge of forgery against a bank clerk, mentioned tn our telegraphic newa, this morning’s Press sayts —The stc tf as disclosed by the evidence to be g von for the prosecution la briefly as follows : —On Tuesday evening ast a boy went to tbe shop of Ifetan Billantyne and odraper*, Cashel street, and said be had b eu sent by s gentleman for one of their cheques, in order that he might remit soma money by Uttar to Wel ingtm, and the Bank and -*ost Office were closed. The boy handed over the sum of £2 7s, for which he received a cheque bearing the firm’s signature of the Rational Bulk of Hew Zealand for this amount. On Wednesday "morning a boy bet ween'ten and eleven years of iaga called at tbe Bank and presented • note written on tbe flip of-an envelope t* questing a lew bank cheques, and oatd that were for Mr J. Shepherd. In reply to the clerk the boy said Mr Shepherd was “ a man outside." As, however, Mr shepherd waa not a customer of the Bank, the request waa nut acceded to. Joel before three o’clock on the same afternoon another boy came to the Bank with a memorandum, purporting to be from Messrs Ballan’yoe and C j., and rrquesting the taller to t>lve the bearar a small cheque-book. The boy received a book containing twenty font cheques, for which ha paid 2s. A third boy, apparent'y about twelve years old, on Thursday morning handed a letter to the teller at the National Bank, and enclosed was the following memorandum :—“ The Teller, National Bank. Please send, per bearer. o»sh as under for enclosed cheque £76 17s 61—ten £5 notes, fifteen £1 notes, eighteen half-sovereigns, silver, (digned) JB. and Co. pet H W.” The cheque for the above amount was dra-n In favor of a number, and signed “J, Ballantyns and Go.” The cheque waa cashed in the ordinary way, and the mouey was put into one of the Bank’s canvas bags in order that the boy might carry it away securely. The signature on the above cheque which subsequently was discovered to be a forgery, waa a clever imitation of Messrs Bailaotma and Co.’s, and the filling of the signature had apparently been copied from the firm’s cheque for £2 7s, the supposition being that this cheque wai obtained for the purpose of using as a copy. No °ue accustomed to deal with the firm would ever think of refusing the cbeqne, as it is only on careful comparison that any difiarenca could be detected in the writing on tbe two cheques. The email cheque was also cashed on the Thursday afternoon, but it cou'd n r t be ascertained by wh r m. The Bank officials were not long in d soevering some irregularities in the number of tbe forged cheque, and. made enquiries at Messrs 6 silentyne and Co.’a shop, which resulted in proving that the cheque for £7617a 6d was a forgery. The Police were immediately communicated with, and the matter was placed in the hands of tbe detectives. Their enquiries brought a young man. named Edward Button, living in Cashel street West to tbe Police fetation on Thursday evening, and be brought with him his li'tle bro h«, about eleven yean of ace who imda a statement to the following effect to Chief Detective T. Neil:—He was going down High street that morning when a man stopped him and asked him to do a job for him. Ha consented, and the man gave him a letter to take to the Natiota Bank. He was alio to ask one of the men to lend him a bag, and the man cautioned him not to-low the money. Button got the bag of money, and took It to the man, who had waited in Manchester street The boy, who eouid only, give an imperfect description of tbe man, went along with Detective O’Connor yesterday morning to aee if they could fiad him. After a search through the streets fox some boars, Mr O’Connor, who had meanwhile fixed his suspicions on a young mm named Jonathan Roberta* fonnd this pen <n in a place of business along with i friend. Ptom his manner Roberts sppesrsd as though be was aware, of bis being watched, and when he came cat Mr O Connor arrested him. A -friend who waa along with Roberts was. seen to iske a cab and drive off down the Ferry road. Mr O’Connor sent for Inspector Fender, who, on his arrival, took charge of Roberts, and Mr O'Connor procured another cab, and went in poranit of the former, which ha overtook at.- Phillipstown. Roberta’ friend, on being accosted, handed Mr O’Connor tbe following note which Roberts had given him. tbe purport of which he, however, knew nothing, to t*ke to anothc rftiend with whom Roberta lodged at Woolston. The note, which waa written in-pencil, ran thus :— ** Dear Jack—Take my brown coat, hanging behind the door tn my room and hide it in tbe sandhills. Burn the email canvas bag you see in my room and ia a poexet, also the box of pencils- Do it at once. In hiate.—Jack." The two then proceeded to this friend's house and the coat and tbe bag were obtained. In a pocket of the former was f mod the sum of £7O. The prisoner, when taken to the police atation, denied all knowledge of the a {for, and waa apparently very indigent at. being arrested. On being searched an envelope was got in his pocket, and on comparison it was fonnd to be the one from which tbe fi*p mentioned above was torn. Roberts is a respectable young man, about 4 twenty-six or twentyseven years of age. He is well-known in South C-nterbury, having been in the Back of New Zealand at Temnka and Timarn. He waa transferred a year or two ago to the Christchurch branch of the Bank, and from there to Wellington. He lefv the Uttar place some few months ago, and has been out of employment lately.