ENEMY TRADING

Evening Star, Issue 16079, 3 April 1916, Page 4

ENEMY TRADING

THE FOW3ES GLOVE OASE. lnterc-.?ti,-g ovidence was given in the cjiso of trading with the enemy in the. London ::mn-t in January, when Gurden Jfligden, William bVrnes Rigden, and titnnlay Fownes Rigden, glove manufacturers and partners in tho well-known linn of j'owr.ss, stood .accused of obtaining goods from Qsimany and trading in such goods. An accountant, .appointed under tho Trading with, tho Enemy Act, found Correspondence showing that tho defendants, \.-;io had a factory in Manchester, u branch in New York, and owned a factory in Germany known aa "La. Xofivi," had imported into New York from formally goods to the value of £6,000, promising topay tho German firms after'tho war. paying additior-al inter est and promi dug big orders. Tho New York bran eh forwarded to London copies of correspondence with the German manufacturers. Tho correspondence showed that, regular remittances of large amounts were mado by New York to London. Tho books showed items to tho credit of manufacturers in Savony totalling £6,117 6s. A copy of a letter from Orobo to New York, dated August 24, 1914, said: "I have goods on hand ready for shipment, and am only waiting an opportunity to forward Kline." The covering letter from N'W Y'ork contained tho following:—" lfc will ho rather interesting to know how you will handles this matter, because when Lloyd went to the British Consul's offlco hje_saw a large notice posted up that any British individual or firm sending money to or doing business with a, German firm would be guilty of treason." The reply from London said there seemed no objection to the goods being .shipped if they could get them through. Rotterdam for shipment on a neutral vessel. 'J he letter went on to «iy that if New Yotlc thought j it was -a. legitimate transaction they might ( consign the goods to "Murphy" or any firm they might think of, "leaving us to take, them ovw." Tn reply one Smelling wrote: " I don't think it will be at all a. legitimate transaction for us, as an English house, to beat tho devil round the bush by having consignment made, to some American name." Tho limi in London replied ■. "It is quite impossible for ns to pay for tho goods you have ready until after the conclusion of peace." The defendants pleaded guilty, and the sentences passed weio as follow:—\Yii< liam Fownes Hidden, 12 months' imprisonment ; and Stanley Fownes RigeJen was ordered to pay a tine of £SOO.