The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-04-11 00:00:00

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.I.IL SHAFTESBURY'S STEWARD.

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On Thursday last, Robert Short Waters, surrendered
to his bail, on an alleged charge of embezzling several
thousand pounds, the 110011i06 of Lord Shaftesbury.
The magistrates present were John Goodden,
Captain Fa!warmer, the Rev. J. Blennerhaseett, E.
Southall, Esq., and B. Littlehalea, Req. Mr. Cole, of
the Western Circuit, instructed by Messrs. Eiumpreys
and Morgan, of Newgate-street, appeared for the pro-
secution, sad Mr. Lewis, of Sly-place, Landon, for the
defendant.

Mr. Cole, in opening the case, said that at present it
was his intention to confine himself to one charge. It
would appear that Lord Shaftesbury came into posses.
aim of his estates in 1851, and, [lading Waters
• the estates, re-appointed him, and Waters
so to receive the rents of the estates in Dorset,
North Wilts, and Yorkshire, Amounting in the whole
to about £24000 a-yean. Originally there was only One
banking amount kepitet Blaadiord, from which Water*
drew, but in 1.805 three accounts were opened—a private
account, the estate account, and the domestic account.
It was prisoner's duty to pay all moneys he received to
the private Amount, which would be transmitted to
Messrs. Hoare, of London, and the other two accounts
would be fed by Lord Shaftesbury by cheques upon his
Louden bankers, and the prisoner would have the
power of drawing from them for various purposes, but
on these Lord Shaftesbury himself never drew. Lord
Shaftesbury never audited the accounts himself, and it
was to be feared that this matter had in a great
measure arisen from the ca.reloranass of the gentleman
who did so—they not being sometimes audited
for two or three yesm In 1.854 1 ord Shaftesbury be-
came acquainted with the fact that prisoner was con-
nected with the turf. Re !poke to him about It, and
be promised to give it up. Waters had a salary of
£490 si.year. In 1869 some sort of irregularities were
diacovered by Mr. Burnett, the auditor, in the accounts
for 1869, but they were passed over ; but in 1863
further irregularities were brought to light, and Waters
was comieled to resign his situation. Alter hi!.. resig-
-

to pans.
nation, Watem's accounts were more carefully ex-
amined, and it was discovered that prisoner had de-
frauded Lord Shaftesbury of at least £ll,OOO or
£12,000, and how much further defalcations might be
disoovered it was impossible to say. As far as he could
woderstand it was done in this way. Waters had direc-
tions to pay all the money he received into the private
amount. When Kr. Burnett audited the amount, pri-
soner would produce receipts of money paid into the
Blandford bank, which were 'taken as money paid into
the private amount, whereas it was in reality found
that it had been paid into the estate account, on which
the prisoner had power to draw for the various purposes
he required. Thas he paid in with one hand and drew
out with the other. The prisoner, it was subsequently
ascertained, had been living at the rate of twelve or
fifteen hundred a-year, keeping bunters harriers, and
racers, and driving tandem. Of course 'this could not
be done without ,noney, and he (Mr. Cole) believed be
should be able to show pretty conclusively that it had
come out of my lord's estates.
Lord Shaftesbury was theo examined. He said My
E father, the late Earl, died in 1851. At that time I
found that Waters had been managing the estates of my
late father, and I re-appointed him my steward. He
continued in that capacity till July, 1863. My rents
In Dorset, Wilts, and Yorkshire amounted to about
£28,000 a-year. After I came in possession my estates
were greatly improved by drainage, building cottages,
'AG. When I first employed Waters I had only one
account at the Blandford bank, to which it was the
prisoner's duty to panel the monies he received, and
on which be had power to draw to a limited extent.
Mr. Burnett audited the amounts, Messrs. Burnett,
' Nichols, and Newman being my solicitors. They were
in the habit of receiving £lOO a year for auditing. That
continued till 18155, when it was altered and
system
accounts wars opened at the Blandford bank—one
my private account, one my estate account, and one my
domestic account. It was the prisoner's duty to pay
every farthing be received to my private &meant, with
a view to its being sent to Messrs. Hoare, my bankers
in London. Upon this meant the prisoner had no
-power to draw. The estate amount was opened with
the National Provincial, which was fed by monies I
'remitted from Liindon, and was to be used for estate
purposes and no other. Into that amount prisoner had
no power to pay money, but he alone had power to
draw for purposes of the estate. The domestic amount
was fed in the same way by °bogus' from Houe's bank,
bat it lasted only a year. That was used for payments
connected with my establishment in Dorset and improve-
ment of cottages. I never drew on these two accounts in
my life. I have no recollection of ever having given a
'cheque on the Blandford Bank. Prisoner had to
antlenit his accounts once a year to Messrs. Burnett for
ektdfting. The domestic amount was dosed in 1855 and
the balance transferred to the estate account In 1956
I commenced making great improvements, and at that
time I had the most perfect oonfidence in the prisoner.
Never did human being repose more confidence in a
man and so unwarranted I
Mr. Lewis: I object in that seyle of answering most
strenuously. If the witness is examined, he must give
• plain answer the same as an ordinary witness would
do. He must not be allowed to make speeches, and
insult Mr. Waters so unwarrantably. Mr. Waters has
to be tried, but it is not for Lord Shaftesbury to try
him.