THE CASE OF W. P. OWEN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 60, 11 March 1903, Page 10 (Supplement)

THE CASE OF W. P. OWEN.

PROCEEDINGS AT THE MANSION HOUSE. (From Our London Correspondent.) LONDON, January 30. A further step in the proceedings against William Parker Owen, the absconding ex-secretary of the Glen Rock and Premier Sunrise Companies, was made at the Mansion House Police Court last Tuesday, when Owen was again charged with the embezzlement of funds and the forgery of share certificates of those companies, the sums involved amounting to between £5000 and .l-t)000.

Mr J. P. Grain (for the prosecution) said that last April the India Glen Rock Company and the Premier Sunrise Company of New Zealand were amalgamated, Owen being elected secretary. In the autumn of 1901 the Glen Rock Company started working, and various sums were cabled out to India to the manager there. At first the cheques were made payable to order, but at prisoner's suggestion they were afterwards drawn in favour of the bearer. At different times cheques were handed to the prisoner. It was his duty to go to the National Bank of India, and pay in the cheques, so that the amount might be cabled out to India. What he did, however, was to deliberately cash the bearer cheques, and put the money into his own pocket. The result of no remittances coming to hand in India was that the company were in great danger of losing their property. It was actually put up for sale, but "the company's manager at the last moment managed to get together enough money to prevent the sale taking place. The manager wrote several times to the prisoner, saying that the men were ready to strike because no money was forthcoming, but the prisoner concealed the letters from the directors. With regard to the Premier Sunrise Company, remittances were forwarded from New Zealand to this country, and Owen cashed every one of them. Owen was asked to attend a meeting of the company, but he did not keep the appointment, and it was found that he had absconded. Owen's desk was then forced, and his papers ►seized, the whole proceedings being brought to light. It was found, too, that the prisoner had gone off with the keys of the safe, and the managing director had to resort to having holes drilled with the object of forcing it open, but while engaged in this operation the prisoner's keys came to the office by post, having been forwarded anonymously. The evidence of Mr Matthews, a Glert Rock director, having been given in support of Mr Grain's opening, a further remand was ordered. LONDON, February 6. After three or four appearances before the Mansion House dispensers of primary justice, William Parker Owen, the absconding ex-secretary of the Indian Glenrock and Premier Sunrise Mining Companies, was last Friday duly committed for trial at the Central Criminal Court on charges of embezzlement, larceny, and forgery of share certificates. Among the further evidence given against the prisoner was that of Mr Horace Nevill, who said he, was a director in conjunction with Mr Matthews, of_ the Premier Sunrise Company, of which Owen was appointed secretary. Shares were issued, and £2378 was received from the public. £2000 was placed to a deposit account, and the company was worked in conjunction with the Indian Glenrock. On the 28th July and 18th September, 1002, resolutions wore passed to lend £500 to the Glenrock Company and two cheques for £500 each, and in October a third for £300 was drawn on the deposit account of the Premier Sunrise Company. Regarding a certain cheque for £300, witness now remembered signing itOwen afterwards came, to him and said Mr Matthews had left the board in a hurry without signing the cheque, (producing one drawn for £300) and therefore asked witness to do so- He complied. The Alderman: But you had already signed one, you say? Mr Nevill: I had signed a lot of cheques that day, and must have forgotten that I signed the one for £300. I had every confidence in Owen; in fact, I trusted him as my own brother. Mr Grain, for the prosecution, said he had not yet decided what to do wit?.regard to a party named Julius Jacobs, although there was an overwhelming case against him, and there was no doubt that he was not only cognisant of thes_ frauds, but had assisted the prisoner to get away.