HONOUR LOST FOR WOMAN

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 12021, 26 December 1924, Page 11

HONOUR LOST FOR WOMAN

FAMILY ABANDONED FOR MISS X A PEERESS ROBBED. It waa said of a nan who was accused of the betrayal of the trust reposejd In him as her secretary by the Dowager Lady Burton, at Rangemore Hall, that the real root of the trouble lay in another direction—in his acquaintance with a Miss X, although he was a married man with two children. The accused man was David Lowden, jun., 30, and the charge made against him. of stealing £l2l, was heard at Bm'ton-on-.Trent. Evidence waa given to the effect that Lowden was in charge oi the. Rangemore Estate Office as accountant. Hi's duties included the payment of tradesmen’s accounts on behalf of the DoWager Lady Burton. These accounts, collected from the heads of * departments at ■ Rangemore, were taken to Lady Burton, who signed cheques to cover the amounts in favour o' Lowden.. who in turn had to pass the cheques into the , Rangemore account at the hank, and issue cheques in favour of the tradesmen. He drew the amount mentioned in the' charge," and then absconded. RESTITUTION OFFERED.

Captain the Hon. George Alan Michael Baillie, grandson of the Dowager Lady Burton, .residing at Oollingwood Hall, said Ldwden. from March, 1920. received a salary at the rate of £450 a year and bonus until January, 1923, when his salary was raised:to £SOO a year with bonus.- He had also a free house, coal, and "milk, so that he received at the inclusive rate of. about £7OO a year. The accused joined the R.H.A. as a ranker,, and was a sergeant in his (witness’s) battery. This he .eft to get a commission, and quitted the army as acting-captain. Mr Fisher Jesson, (who defended): Since the facts came to light, has not an offer teen, made to refund, the whole of the money ? Witness: I cannot answer that. After evidence of arrest in Belfast, when Bowden replied to the warrant: “I certainly did not steal, it,” Mr Jesson said he appreciated the fairness of the prosecution, and, in view of that, be had advised the prisoner to plead guilty. He submitted that at the time Lowden drew the cheque ■he had no. felonious intent. He was the stjn of ■respectaole parents, and" there was nothing against him until this case arose. The real cause of his leaving i the country did not relate to the £l2l. Unfortunately, although Lowden was married; 'an acquaintance sprang up in January; 1923,' between hurt and Miss X. (to May 4th the prisoner received a telephone message from-Miss X that her father had found out the position, and, as a result, he and Miss X left the country together, and had since -lived in Ireland. That was the sole 'cause of Lowden’s departure -from ibis j country. , , i EXPRESSED REGRET. Mr Argyle, prosecuting, said in view cf, the plea .of guilty, he did not propose to -offer evidence in- regard to -further charges. The'clerk (to the prisoner): You are charged with stealing £248 11a 6d on March 27th, and £225 on April 25th. Do you wish these cases to be taken j into account P . I „4 , ri's<jnbr replied iff the affirmative, ] and. expressed His regret,, adding'thas jif. he could have his time over again | he certainly should not act* as he - had [ done. "i H. G. Nadin (chairman) said | lowden had pleaded guilty to.a mean j -and despicable, fraud on a confiding cmplbj'br.’ tie had • not only lost his j character,, but had- put a slur on an j 'honoured nrime. ‘ - He would be sent to | prison for six months, but, in-'view of | -his hitherto good record, it .would, be | in the cecond division... He. would also jiave to pay the costs of th<# prosecution.