THE EHRMAN CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 182, 2 August 1900, Page 6

THE EHRMAN CASE.

SEQUEL TO DALEY'S

BANKRUPTCY,

THE MISSING £1,950,

POLICE COURT PROCEEDINGS

The hearing- of the charges preferred against Joseph Ehrman was commenced at the Police Court on July JG, before Mr 11. W. Brabant, S.M. The Crown Prosecutor (Bon. .T. A. Tole) appeared with Mr Theo Cooper for the prosecution, and Mr F. E. Baiime for the defence.

Joseph Ehrman was charged that on June 9th, 1900, at Auckland, he did receive and have in his possession two £50 bank notes, the property of the Official Assignee, well knowing1 the same to have been dishonestly obtained; and that on 32nd June, 1900, he did receive and have in his possession eight £50 bank notes, the properly of the Official Assignee, well knowing the same to have been dishonestly obtained.

Accused was further charged that on December 33rd, 18' JO, at Auckland, he did steal the sum of £1.950, the property of the Oflicial Assignee in bankruptcy of the property of Charles Grant Daley, a bankrupt.

Till': CASE FOR THE PROSECUTION.

Mr Tole in openingl the case for the prosecution, said that Charles Grant Daley was made bankrupt on January sth, 1900. He had a very bad bankruptcy, and was committed i'or trial and convicted on several charges under the Bankruptcy Act, and was now undergoing- sentence for those offender. i;rhe present accused Ehrman sold his business to. Daley early last October, for a large sum of money. Daley gave him in payment a number of promissory notes, which were dishonoured. The. present accused was therefore entitled to .sonic claim on the estate. On December 81st, 1390, Messrs Price, Dadjey and Coe, bought from Daley a large quantity of drapery goiods for which they paid him the sum of ii 1,950. .Of this amount, £1300 was paid in £50 notes, £000 in £20 notes, and a cheque for £50. The numbers of n good many of the notes were taken by the National Bank. Daley would be brought as a witness to say that he got the money in that proportion, and he would explain about its disappearance. Daley absconded on Saturday, 23rd December, and never returned until he was arrested on January 6th, the day after he was mado bankrupt. Ehrman, whom Daley had retained as manager, was continually with Daley on the day before the latter absconded. Ehrman look Daley home with him to Lake Takapuna on tho Saturday evening and Daley stayed there until Monday, when lie disappeared. It would be shown that on the Saturday Ehrman got from Daley £2000 worth of bond warrants. Evidence would also be called to show that shortly after Daley disappeared Erhman proclaimed that 13aley had ruined him; that he had been reduced to a state of penury by Daley's gross misconduct and dishonesty in giving him pro-

missory notes and never paying-. Ehrman expressed himself In this way to several people, but notwithstanding this profession it, would Ijo shown that to another witness .privately he said he was a. rich man, and lie produced rolls of notes in order to get money; spoko of the bond warrants, and regretted lie had not got more money from Daley. Early in March accused appeared to have been negotiating- for the purchase of land, bought timber,, paying- for it in large notes, bought furniture, which he paid for in the same way. Finally, on .Tune Bhe bought £87 worth of drapery goods, to pay for which he borrowed £82 from a witness who would say he was repaid next day with two £50 notes, one of which would be shown clearly to be one of the £50 paid to Daley as part of the £1050. Tt would also be shown that accused bought £320 worth of drapery goods, to pay for which he adopted the roundabout method of giving another person (who would be a witness) eight £50 notes, asking the witness to pay it into the bank and give him a cheque. The notes were paid into the National Bank and ; sonic of them would be identified a.s part of the £1950. Mr Tole added | that they would show from the accused's conduct and statements and his peculiar business relations with some of the witnesses that the case was one which in the interests of the estate of the creditors and trade in general should go before, a jury. Evidence in support of counsel's -statement was given, and accused, having reserved his defence, was committed for trial.