FORTUNATE MISTAKES

Evening Star, Issue 21717, 11 May 1934, Page 13

FORTUNATE MISTAKES

ERRORS IN A CHEQUE DRAWER SAVED LARGE SUM “ SHARE-PUSHING ” GANG FOILED. Two small mistakes made by the drawer of a cheque handed over to “ pushers ” of worthless shares in England saved a potential victim £375 and incidentally led to the arrest of several members of the gang. The story was revealed in a case which lasted two days before Mr Jus-., ticri Rochri, at Lewes,’ resulting in the conviction of three men with London business associations. In the dock were Charles Mote, a company director, aged 41, of'Finchley Lane, Hriitdori, John Earle M ‘Gregor, aged 39, a lid Albert Distelman, a former company director, aged 32. Accused were charged with conspiring to obtain money by false pretences from Mr William George Stewart, of Billingshurst, Sussex, in connection with a company called j Trinidad International Petroleum Limited. They were _ found guilty, More and M'Gregor being sentenced to fifteen months’ imprisonment each and Distelman to six months, According to the police, all three men had been previously convicted. Distelman was described as a company promoter and a salesman of food products'. He was bound over for theft at the age of fifteen, and had been in trouble five times. More’s correct name was Isaac Adelberg, and he had carried on a betting business. AVhile living in South Africa he was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for fraud; M'Gregor had also lived in South Africa and had been imprisoned for fraud. Returning to England, he took offices in the Strand as a financial consultant. THE ATTEMPTED FRAUD. The story of the attempted fraud on Mr Stewart was related by counsel for the Crown. The men induced Mr art to part with a cheque for £375 for the purchase of 250 shares in Trinidad International Petroleum at 30s per' share, on the representation that in the following month the company would buy them hack at £2 each, and had money in the bank for that purpose. The company, remarked counsel, had no money, and nobody had the right to say they would buy the shares back. Mr Stewart actually drew the cheque, but ho made the mistake of dating it November 31, and, in addition, commenced to write “shillings ” where he should have written •“ pounds.” It was alleged that accused were concerned in frantic attempts to cash the cheque. It was drawn oil a Reading bank and was presented at an early hour, with a request for special clearance. The manager refused to pay the amount, owing to the mistakes. The men drove back to Billingshurst and obtained Mr Stewart’s initials to the alterations on the cheque. When the cheque was re-presented the manager required the signature instead of initials, and another journey into Sussex bad to be made. By this time Mr Stewart had become suspicious, and lie gave notice stopping the cheque and communicated with the police. LITTLE GIRL AS WITNESS. The niiie-year-old daughter of Mr Stewart caused a smile in court when she mentioned that on one of the visits she took the number of tile car and wrote it down nine times. In the course of tbe’ hearing of the case the names of several other men alleged to have been associated in the transactions of the company were mentioned Distclman’s remark to the police when arrested was “It was my fault to get mixed up with a lot of sharks like these.” Counsel for accused contended that they were innocent tools in the hands of others. Distelman stated that lie was engaged as a chauffeur to drive the men ■whenever he was required. He Irit a room in his house for their meetings, but be bad no idea that anything improper was taking place. Mention was made of a stormy meeting at an office in Mark Lane, which M'Gregor bad taken. A young woman typist in an adjoining room was advised to go away and take an early lunch so that she should not bear the language.