MARCONI ENQUIRY.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 12752, 26 March 1914, Page 3

MARCONI ENQUIRY.

CABLE NEWS. By Electric Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright.

LORD MURRAY EXPLAINS. CONCERNING STOCK PURCHASES. LONDON, yesterday. Lord Murray giving evidence before the House of Lords Marconi Committee said he instructed Mr C. E. Fenner, stock broker, to invest a certain amount of the Liberal party's funds in Home securities, leaving Mr Fenner to select the stock. All purchases were made as investments. He did not possess information on political matters which was not open to the general publice through the Press. Although the coal strike was on he had no information from Ministers about it. He saw no impropriety in investing in railway stocks. Fenner changed the stocks from one railway to another in order to secure a better dividend. FENNER STILL IN CUSTODY. PARIS, yesterday. Fenner is still awaiting extradition. A Christmas sensation was provided by the London City Pojice in the issue of a warrant, upon tbeir application, for the arrest of Charles Edward Fenner, the well-known London stockbroker. An earlier application of similar character had been made several months ago on behalf of the Official Receiver, but the whereabouts of the missing man had not, so far, been ascertained. Recently important information reached the City Police, and as evidence had been accumulated that appeared to warrant them formulating a new charge, it was decided to make a secret application to the Mansion House Magistrate. The charge upon which they applied was different from that formulated by the Official Receiver, the new "information" alleging fraudulent conversion of certificates of shares, and the amount believed to be involved exceded £IO,OOO. Mr Fenner had among his clients for Stock Exchange business a large number of well-known speculators and dealers, and was said to have acted for the exLiberal Whip, the Master of Elibank (now Lord Murray) in a Marconi deal, which left the estate of the missing man debtor to that gentleman to the amount of £30,000 or more. Mr Fenner carried on his Stock Exchange work under the title of H. L. Montmorency and Co., at 2, White LionCourt, City. In April last he disappeared, and in May his affairs, or the affairs of the firm of Montmorency and Co., came under the observation and scrutiny of the Official Receiver in Bankruptcy. It was at that time officially estimated that the liabilities wouid prove to be something between £IOO,OOO and £150,000, and it is thought the higher figure is the more accurate. At the time of his disappearance Mr G. E. Fenner was residing at A®ey Place, where he was known as "Major" Charles Fenner, under which name he also appeared in the London Directory at that address. He went there several years ago, having previously resided at Whitehall Court. The use of the title "Major," as to the acquisition of which there are different statements, was a little unfair to another gentleman, a very honourable servant of the King, who is a commandant in the Indian army, and has the same rank, as well as the name of Charles. Mr C. E. Fenner had at the time of his removal become an important man in the particular "markets" which lie most favoured, and his operations in the recent American Marconi group caused something of a sensation for a few weeks. In his Stock Exchange work he received the assistance of one of the members of his family, while he stated that he had a brother in the West End, a professional man of considerable repute. Hie partments in Ashley-place were particularly suited for the life of a wealthy bachelor, as well as far carrying on a reputation of having abundant means. Each of the several flats bore the common number of the great mansion, and as the entertainments given by the missing man were both frequent and on an almost grand scale, the City appeared to have been justified in dubbing him "a sport of the best, haying money and knowing how to spend it." His cottage at Datohet was furnished on the same tasteful and elegant scale, and both his residences were the resort of men prominent in the worlds of finance and politics, who regarded him as a generous and entertaining host. The warrant issued on Christmas Eve was left in the hands of the City police for execution, and so desirous were they of completing their coup that they did not even circulate a new description, or ask the co-operation of Scotland Yard. Fenner was ultimately arrested in Paris.