CHEQUE’S ADVENTURE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 76, 10 January 1928, Page 6

CHEQUE’S ADVENTURE

SMUGGLED OUT OF RUSSIA. The adventures of a cheque for £IO,OOO, stated to have been endorsed in 1918 on behalf of the British Government during the political upheaval in Russia, were related in a petition of riorht against the Crown, heard in the King’s Bench Division recently before Mr Justice McOardie. The cheque was endorsed in August, 1918, by Mr Lockhart, British diplomatic agent in Moscow, and given in exchange for roubles.

The. petition was by Mr Bencel Aronowitz, a Lithuanian aniline dye manu-| facturer, into whose hands the cheque i had passed, and he asked that it should be honoured by the Crown. Sir Leslie Scott, K.C., on behalf of Mr Anonowitz said that Mr Lockhart; who wanted Russian currency for official purposes, adopted the method of selling cheques officially endorsed by him and drawn by aMr Higgs 4 to persons who werem a position to give loublcs. Tnc cheque in question was sold in the first instance to Messrs Titoff, 'of Moscow, who negotiated it to Mr Henri Hirchberg. Mr Hirsliberg afterwards negotiated it to Mr Aronowitz, who paid him roubles. After the Soviet revolution, at the end of 191.7, said Sir ..Leslie, Mr Anonowitz, who was in business in Moscow, had a forest for which he paid £35,000 had his cash confiscated, but he was able to hide three or four million roubles. He was allowed in March. 1921, to leave for Vilna. Mr Hirshberg, who was now dead, was a wealthy textile manufacturer in Poland. When he went to Mr Anorowitz -on behalf-of Messrs Titoff Bros., textile manufacturers in Moscow, with the cheque endorsed by Mr Lockhart, for roubles, Mr Anonowitz was very glad to exchange roubles for the cheque. Mr Anonowitz "came to England with the cheque, stitched in the lining of his fur cap. Until 1921 it had been impossible for him to present the cheque. He left Russia with the cheque stitched in the lining of his boot. When he took the cheque to the Midland Bank, through which it had been issued, he was informed' that the account was closed and. that there was; no cover He and his friends went to the Foreign Office and pressed the Government to honour the cheque. MV Gregory who was dealing with the Russian Department at that time, told them that inquiries would be made- of Mr Lockhart. Mr Anonowitz, giving evidence through an interpreter, said that the Soviet Government confiscated his forest and £IO,OOO worth of roubles. He saved three or- four millions of roubles which bo turned into foreign currency. He would have been put to death, if it had been discovered that he was' hiding the roubles. He bought the cheque- in question for 930,000 Nikolai roubles. At that time the esrffi'p nge rate was 93 roubles to the £. BPe went to a shoemaker to have the cheque stitched in his shoo. I The bearing was adjourned.