The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-07-13 00:00:00

SERIOUS CHA.RGi;: AGAI.NST A

BANKIXP I.

At the 'Worcestershire Midsummer Assizo.s, in
the Crown Court, on Wednesday, before Mr. Baron
Pollock,

Edwin Lee was iralicted for that be, being a
trader at the city of Worcester, within four
w.:mths before the commencement of proceedings
for liquidation of his ailairs Uy arrangement,
obtained from the Stourbriclge and Kidderminster
Banking Company, by false representations, cer-
tain sums of money, with intent to defraud.

Mr. Powell. Q.C., and Mr. Clay appTared for
the prosecution; Jelfe and Mr. Self for the
defence.

Mr. Powell, Q.C., opened the case at some
length, pointing out that the indictment con-
tained no less than 84 counts. Evidence was
then given by Mr. Downes, assistant registrar ot
the Worcester County Court, and by Mr. Laurie,
manager of the Worcester brauch of the bank.
It appeared that prisoner had formerly been pro-
prietor of the Acorn Saw Mills. In 1854 he car-
ried on business with other persons, but not
being successful the partnership terminated. In
1868 prisoner recommenced business on his own
account, and at that time he had no capital.
During his business transactions he bccame con-
nected with a man named Trick, an accountant
of the Beaufort Tin-plate Works, at Swansea, and
as that company required boxes for their tin-
plates, prisoner through Trick had the work, and
did a cousiderable business in this respect. Trick
getting 31 per cent. on the transactions. In 1875
Trick's connection with the Beaufort Company
ceased, and this also terminated prisoner's con-
nection with them. In November last prisoner
filed a petition in liquidation. His assets were
shown to be £7,530, and his liabilities £11,136,
but the assets did not realise more than £5,920
The total amount of his liability in bills was
£9,750 7s 4d. Prisoner's statement of affairs
, showed his triAati bills of discount with
the Stourbridge aud Kidderminster Banking
Company. To this bank he had presented six
bids of exchange, and by representing that they
werzl drawn for bona fide trade transactions he
ootained- credit at the bank. These hills, how-
• or, turned out to be simply accommodation bills.
T ,ree of these bills were drawn and accepted ly
Mr. Trick, and purported to be for boxes made
for tin-plates; and the other three were drawn
and accepted by Mosses. Wilesmith, Worcester,
arid purported to be for timber received and work
done. The bills in question were as follows :
Drawn and accepted by Trick: one due on the
30th October last, for £250; one due on the 30th
November, £300; and one due on the 6th
December, £250. Drawn and accepted by Messrs.
Wilesmith : one due November 19th for £425 lOs ;
one on the 4th January, 1878, for £330 12s; and
one due January 25, for £358 3s. The proceed-
ins in bankruptcy were produced, which showed
that the prisoner, whilst under examination before
the registrar, admitted that he represented to the
Bank that these hills were for bonafide transac-
tions, whereas they were accommodation bills to
enable him to get credt. This statement was
signed by the prisoner before the registrar as
being correct. It transpired that Jr.`, Trick had
since become I:quidati.ig debtor.—Mr. Laurie,
manager of tne Worcester branca of the Bank, in
the 'course of a long examination, said that had
they known t}ey were accommodation bills
of exchange, the Bank would not have discounted
them. The prisoner w.is
.ord,.irecl to be prose-
cat,Al by Mr, Rupert Kettle, the judge of the
County Court, and that order was dated March
13th.

At the conclusion of the case for the prosecu-
tion, Mr. Je'f submitted that there was no case
to go to the jury, either under the Debtors Act or
for the statuttr y offence of false pretences.
There, was no evidence t,o show that by hi i re-
presentations he obtained any specific credit or
incurred any specific debt. The credit he obtained
was of a general rather than a specific character,
obtained tilder various su-rounding circumstances.
Ue credit, he conteuded, was given before the
r.uresentations were made.
faaift '414 that WM /TAW. $9 go
The, 41410
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