FORTUNATE MISTAKES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 109, 10 May 1934, Page 6

FORTUNATE MISTAKES

ERRORS IN A CHEQUE DRAWER SAVED LARGE SUM. “SHARE-PUSHING” GANG FOILED Two small mistakes made by the drawer of a cheque handed over to “pushers” of worthless shares Ju England, saved a potential victim £373 and incidentally led to the arrest of several members of the gang. The story was revealed in a case which lasted two days before Mr. Justice Roche, at Lewes, resulting in the conviction of three men with London business associations. In* the dock were Charles More, a company director, aged 41, of Finchley Lane, Hendon, John. Earle McGregor, aged 39, and Albert Distelman, a former company director, aged 32. Accused were charged with conspiring to obtain money by false pretences from Mr. William George Stewart, of Billinghurst, Sussex, in connection with a company called Trinidad International Petroleum, Limited. They were found guilty. More and McGregor being sentenced to . 15 months’ imprisonment each and Distelman to six months. According to the police, pll three men had been previously convicted. Distelman was described as a company promoter and a salesman of food products. He was bound over for theft at the age of 15. and had been in trouble five times. More’s corcct name was Isaac Adelberg, and he had carried on a betting business. While living in South Africa he was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for fraud. McGregor had also lived in South Africa and had been imprisoned for fraud. Returning to England, he took offices in the Strand as a financial consultant. The Attempted Fraud.

The story of the attempted fraud on Air. Stewart was related by counsel for the Crown. The men induced Mr. Stewart to part with a cheque for £375 for the purchase of 250 shares in Trinidad International Petroleum at 30s per share, on the representation that in the following month the company would buy them back at £2 each, and had money in the bank for that purpose.

The company, remarked counsel, had no money, and nobody had the right to say they would buy the shares back. Mr. Stewart actually drew the cheque, but he made the mistake .of dating it November 31 and, in addition, commenced to write “shillings” where he should have written “'pounds.” It was alleged that accused were concerned in frantic attempts to cash the cheque. It was drawn on a Reading bank and was presented at an early hour, with a request for special clearance. The manger refused to pay the amount, owing to the mistakes. The men drove back to Billinghurst and obtained Mr. Stewart’s initials to the alterations on the cheque. When the cheque was re-presented the manager required the signature instead of initials, and another journey into Sussex had to be made. By this time Mr. Stewart had become suspicious, and he gave notice stopping the cheque and communicated with the police. Little Girl as a Witness.

The nine-year-old daughter of Mr. Stewart caused a smile in Court when she mentioned that on one of the visits she took the number of the car and wrote it down nine times.

In the course of the hearing of the cases the names of several other men alleged to have been associated in the transactions of the company, were mentioned. Distelman’s remark to the police when arrested was, “It was my fault to get mixed up with a lot of sharks like these.”

Counsel for accused contended that they were innocent tools in the hands of others.

Distelman stated that he was engaged as a chauffeur to drive the men whenever he was required. He let a room in his house for their meetings, but he had no idea that anything improper was taking place.

Mention was made of a stormy meeting at an office in Mark Lane, which McGregor had taken. A young woman typiste in an adjoining room was advised to go away and take an early lunch so that she should not hear the language.