FORGED APPEAL LETTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23685, 17 December 1938, Page 16

FORGED APPEAL LETTERS

FRAUD ON LORD NUFFIELD (From Our Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, Nov. 17. Hyman Horatio Newman, 36, accountant, was sentenced at the Old Bailey to 18 months' imprisonment for having obtained cheques from Viscount Nuffield, Lord Routhwoud Sir Louis Sterling, and Mr Simon Marks by forged letters with intent to defraud. , , „ , . . It was stated that Newman desired a number of outstanding charges to be taken into consideration, and that the total involved was £639. •"■ ~ The Common Serjeant, Mr Cecil Whiteley, K.C., said that had the offence gone on longer Newman would undoubtedly have been sent to penal servitude. .;■'■■ Mr Anthony Hawke, prosecuting, .=aid that Newman was secretary of the Lord Melchett Memorial Fund, instituted in 1933, for collecting money to endow an institute in the East End and for providing poor children there with shoes, entertainment, and food. The fund, of which Mr R. D. Blumenfeld was chairman, lasted until 1935. Newman was dismissed in February, 1934. Mr Hawke said that last March Newman was apparently in need of money, and hit on the idea of reawakening the fund. He sent out letters purporting to be signed by Mr Blumenfeld. He had no authority, and every one of the letters was a forgery. As a result of the letters Lord Southwood parted with five guineas, Sir Louis with £35, Lord Nuffield wiin £273, and Mr Marks with two cheques of £SO each. The fraud was discovered when a prospective subscriber sent a cheque to Mr Blumenfeld instead of to an office which Newman had taken in Victoria street.