Huge Stamp Auction Fraud Alleged in Dublin

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28983, 26 August 1959, Page 13

Huge Stamp Auction Fraud Alleged in Dublin

(Rec. 9.30 a.m.)

DUBLIN, August 25.

Frauds carried out by four members of a stamp auction company reached staggering proportions and were probably the greatest in the history of the Irish Republic, the prosecution alleged in a Dublin Court yesterday.

The four persons before the Court were Dr. Paul Singer, aged 48. the Viennese-born managing director of Shanahan’s Stamp Auctions, Ltd., of Dublin, bis German-born wife Irma, 35, a director, Jerome Shanahan, aged 60. chairman, and his son Arthur Desmond Shanahan, aged 33, company secretary. Both the Singers are British subjects and the Shanahans are Irishmen. All four faced 39 charges ranging from conspiracy to defraud to fraudulent conversion and the staging of stamp auctions at which the public were defrauded. One charge alleged that the four defendants created fictitious purchasers and prices for the sale of stamps at public auctions, The taking of depositions was expected to last 10 days. A defence solicitor has already told Ricans. The negro girl, Theresa Gee. who was in a crowd listening to a street preacher, dropped dead with a bullet in her head when a fusillade of shots was fired from a passing car.

the Court that the case might not end until Christmas. At a remand hearing in June detectives alleged that more than £500,000 was involved in the case. Detective - Inspector Thomas Scanlon said at yesterday’s hearing that after the new charges had been preferred, Paul Singer made a statement. Mrs Singer said she had nothing to do with the running of the business and knew nothing of the charges. Both the Shanahans had replied “not guilty,” said the inspector. The hearing was adjourned until Thursday after the Court was told that more than 270 witnesses would be called Mr Justice Flynn refused the Singers bail in spite of an ap- : plication by their counsel, who pointed out that the case would last until after Christmas. It would be a gross hardship on the couple to be held in prison over that period, he submitted. The Shanahans were allowed to continue on bail.