THE BANK CASE

Evening Star, Issue 18810, 8 December 1924, Page 6

THE BANK CASE

HOBBS AT EOWi STREET. HEARING THE EVIDENCE. LONDON, December 6. Hobbs reappeared at Bow Street. Extraordinary public interest is manifested in tho case. A queue composed largely of well-dressed women was formed hours before tho opening of the court. Sir E. Marshall-Hall to-day defended Hobbs, and Air Roland Oliver, who was ono of the junior counsel for the bank in the Robinson case, appeared on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions. Mr Oliver merely called evidence connecting Hobbs with the receipt of bank notes, the proceeds of cheques. He said he hoped to make substantial progress by December 13, but nobody knew whether or when Sir Hari Singh’s aide-de-camp Captain Arthur, would be extradited from Paris. Hobbs was remanded till December 13, bail being refused.—Reuter. (Received December 8, at 1.20 a.m.) At the hearing of the charges against Hobbs tho bank officials gave evidence that an account was opened at tho Kingsway branch of the Midland Bank on January 5, 1920, to the credit of C. Robinson, with a cheque for £150,000. The following day £130,000 in £I,OOO notes was withdrawn, and the balance was subsequently drawn by cheques. An official of the Paris branch of the Anglo-South American Bank said that Arthur accompanied Newton on January 8, 1920, and opened an account with 120,000 £1 notes. He could not say which man handed them in. They produced the notes jointly. Hobbs and Newton took the bank official to lunch, and afterwards returned to the bank, where thev interviewed the manager, who suggested an investment. While they were at lunch Newton said that Hobbs was a retired solicitor. Hobbs signed a specimen signature card. ’The official produced a letter signed by Hobbs authorising the investment as advised. Tho chief accountant of the AngloSouth American Bank stated that £40,000 worth of rentes was transferred from Hobbs to Arthur on February 6, 1920. Arthur’s stock account showed that he disposed of the rentes in November, 1921. Sir E. Marshall-Hall said he had never been in a case before a magistrate when he had had fewer instructions. The Magistrate, in refusing bail, said lie could not forget that Hobbs was caught leaving the country with a large sum of money.—A. and N.Z. Cable. SIR HARI SINGH’S MOVEMENTS. LONDON, December 6. Tho ‘ Daily Herald ’ .says that, despite statements in other newspapers, Sir Hari Singh has already reached Europe. It repeals that he is still aboard ship, and will arrive in England just before Christmas. He will give evidence against Hobbs and others. The ‘ Herald ’ adds that the authorities have made every effort to conceal the fact that Sir Hari Singh is en route to England, and tho steamship company was instructed to withhold tho information. The Director of Public Prosecutions and Scotland Yard officers have again held a prolonged consultation with reference to the cases. —A. and N.Z. Gable.