EMBEZZLEMENT BY A CLERK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2479, 18 September 1901, Page 24

EMBEZZLEMENT BY A CLERK.

At the City Police Court on the 10th. bpfore Mr C. C. Graham, S.M., a young man named Walter Loring was charged that lie did. at thinedin, commit the theft of £'337, the money of Iris employer, Charles Howi«on. Mr Sim appeared for the piosecutor, and ill Hanlon for the defendant. There were four separate informations against accused, and on the suggestion of Mr Hanlon it was agreed to take them all together. ilr Sim, for the piosecution, said that accused ■was in the employ of Mr Howjson as clerk. It was his duty, among other things, to collect moneys for Mr Howisron, and pay them mto hi* account. With regard to the charges referred 0.0 in the information, Mr Kowtson drew a, cheque for £51 and gave It to the accused with instructions to forward it to Mr C>aig, in Auckland. The accused, instead of fortvaifkng^ it, iiad paid it into an account m the Bank of Xew Zealand in the name of his biotlior, and in ;that way appropriated the cheque to his own rise. There was also a charge on the same information with regard to the sum of JE2O 19s 93, the amount of a cheque that was paid ifco accused on account of Mr Howison, and •which he appropriated to his own use in a. similar way. After embezzling the^e and other Moneys accused cleared out ironi Duuedm and ■•was arrested in Wellington. He forwarded a letter admitting his gi'ilt to Mr Howi»on, and setting forth a statement of his embezzlements. 'In this letter he referred to the hiding place of a considerable portion of the sto'.en money, »nd Detective Campbell went with accused to the Burnside Cemetery, where they unearthed a box containing about tfoO. The letter sent by accused from (Wellington was <*s follows — " Enclosed is a statement of the deficiencies which, as to their amoiuit, speaks foi itself. This course became necessary to me inst, on account of inadequate wage and in consequence getting behind; secondly, in endeavouring to pull up I invested in shares, thereby stepping further into the mire. However, the position hss heroine bo involved that going off appears to be the only way to solve it. You will probably wish to bring me back, but that will baldly help you. However, should no steps be taken I give you my word, and, if you are prudent, J think you will accept it as being perfectly honourable, that in being clear away I will communicate the place of hiding of a considerable portion of the wreck. The lemainder 1 guaiantee to repay in the course of two years with interest, which statement I base upon good expectations. Trusting yoa will < O7i<«der the (natter carefully before acting, ajd thanking you for general good natuip,- -Walter Loeing. Debts in the share line being imiiipioii«, should you bruit this affa.r aLioad it w.ll prejudice tny chance with their action. ' The list of embezzlement* from Mr Howison and from the Northern Insurance Company attached by accused to his letter was as follows C. M. Howison, not paid into bank. May, £15 Itßs 3d; do, Jnne, i-m 2« lOd : Craig's cheque, i£sl 3s 9d; i:ot paid into bank. July, ±'~* 17s fid; insurance due, £83 9s 7d,— tota 1 , X 337 11s W. Included in the four charges against accused •were the theft on July 4 of £3 17s 6d and £2 Bs Bd, the property of the Northern Insurance Company. Charles M. Howison, geneial commis«iou and insurance agent, and local agent of the Northern Insurance Company, in gA^S c\.dence, •tated that accused had been m las euiploy about 18 months, and was acting as h^ cieik und accountant at a salary of 30a a week. Accused left without notice on July 26, and some time after he received the Icttei referred to. Chief Detective Campbell sad that he met accused on the arrival of the express on the evening of August 31, and they arranged to go to Burnside next morning. Accused led witness to the Eurnside Cemetery, and m some shrubbery round a grave he dug up a parcel in which was a tin box containing £30 in single jiotes, which accused handed to witness saying is was part of the money he had .stolen. Mr Hanlon here stated that it was accuseu s intention to plead guilty. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence, Mr Sim intimating that he withdrew the charge with respect to the theft ©f £10. i