SYDNEY SENSATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22293, 20 June 1934, Page 7

SYDNEY SENSATION

THE CHAPMAN CASE CORONER’S INQUIRY OPENED (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) SYDNEY, June 19. (Received June 10, at 11 p.m.)

At the coroner's inquiry to-day into Professor Chapman’s death’ the medical evidence was that death was due to respiratory poisoning. There wore also indications of narcotic poisoning. Other evidence, which was objected to by the. solicitor for Chapman’s relatives, related to Chapman's handling of the finances of the Royal Society and the Australian National Research Society, of which he was honorary treasurer. It was stated that Chapman had been informed that botli societies had insisted on audits of the funds. Chapman in turn had threatened legal proceedings against certain officials. Percival Mincll, auditor for the Royal Society, gave evidence that he had discovered a deficiency in the bonds In Chapman’s care amounting to £3200. An adjournment was granted to enable, investigations to be made whether any money missing could be recovered from Chapman's estate, as large sums-are said to be involved.

Sensational disclosures concerning the financial affairs of Professor Henry George Chapman, director of cancer research at the Sydney University, whose death was recently announced, were made in the Bankruptcy Court upon a petition by the Royal Society alleging that Chapman, as treasurer, had misappropriated the society’s funds amounting to £3360, and stating that the. society held no security over his estate. Evidence was given of fruitless efforts to locate the professor’s supposed assets, a list of which was attached to his ‘will, amounting to £85,000. Witnesses described the assets as “ mere bluff.” . Sir George Julius, chairman of the Australian National Research Council, said that Chapman, ns treasurer of that body, had the custody of important books, which were missing, and that Government, bonds to the value of £13,500 and £2500 of the funds of the Research Council could not be accounted for. Witness estimated that Chapman’s assets did not exceed £2OOO. Another witness stated that Chapman was constafatly being pressed for audits by both societies, and that large sums of money had been drawn from time to time by Chapman from the banks which handled the Research Council’s account.