A SAD CASE.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12403, 19 November 1908, Page 4

A SAD CASE.

* ! By a singular coincidence, tho day Denjaiiiin Greene Lake (forincrly President of the Incorporated Law Society) was released from Paikhurst Prison, a well educated man, who alleged he was victimised by the oxeoiivict, appealed to the Magistrates at Kin^ston-on-Thanies for assistance ! The Kingston -applicant alleged that Lake had misappropriated £30,000 of liis money. The Bench were impressed with his story and the chairman directed'that 10s should be given to him out of the poor box. After tho Magistrates had retired tho deputy, clerk returned to tho court and asked tho applicant to write down his name and degrees. He thereupon wrote 'on a sheet of paper: "l'\ J. Ellis, Heidelberg, M.A., Trin ColOxon," and receiving tho 10s left the court. • Seen subsequently by a press representative Mr Ellis* said: "My father was Lieutenant Colonel' Ellis, of the ICth Lancers. He is dead, and I have not a single relative living that lam aware of. I find that my forty-eight years are against me, and that younger men with less education -are preferred. I come of a Welsh family. At Oxford I took my B.A. the first year, and my M.A. three years later. After that I was sent to Heidelberg, and. having completed my education tnere I went travelling by myself. I was a comparatively rich man, with £30,000 in tho Funds. Tho commencement of all my troubles was the loss of my fortune at one swoop. My solicitor was Mr Benjamin Greeno Lake, who suggested that I should give, him power of attorney to deal with my £30,000. ■ I was under the impression that ho was going to reinvest it for mo to advantage and so, in an evil moment, I consented. Subsequently he was arrested for misappropriation and sentenced to twelve | years' imprisonment, and all that I got out of my fortune was £50. The only thing I could think of doing was coaching pupils, T)ut now I can . scarcely find one at all. For a week I have been on the tramp in Surrey, and four nights 1 had to sleep in the open, and how long it is spiug to last Ido not know. To add to my misfortunes I am subject to fits of epilepsy at intermittent intervals." jln 1891 this Lake received a sentence of twelve years for embezzlement on a mammoth scale of trust funds. ITc failed for £350,000 in all, and admitted having lost £23,000 in one year by speculation 'on tho London Stock Krrchango. He was discharged before completing his sentence, as he is a victim of heart trouble, and has spent the last six years in tho prison infirmary.