The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-10-20 00:00:00

THE ALLEGED FRAUDS ON THE
RIVER PLATE BANK.
In London, on Monday, at the Guildhall Police-
court, John Davis Watters. 29. described as a stock-
broker, residing at Arundel Villa. West Croydon, was
brought up in custody, before Mr. Alderman itiSSICS,
to answer to the charge of "stealing in or about the
month of Augur. last 60 Suez Canal Shares, value
about £720; also, in or about the same month, 5.0(0
Egyptian Preference Bonds of the value of £4,500 ;
also in the month of SPptember last £4,200 of the
Buenos Ayres Loan of 1870, and £2,400 of the Buenos
Ayres Loan of 1873; and also receiving the said bonds
well knowing them to have been stolen, the same
being the property of the London and River Plate
Bank, Limited.
The prisoner, who is the stockbroker through whom
Warden, the defaulting secretary of the River Plate
Bank, conducted his various dealings, was arrested on.
Saturday afternoon at his office, No. 2, Drapers-
gardens, by Detective-sergeant Oatram, who has had
charge of the whole case. The latter told him that he
should charge him with stealing bonds and securities,
to which Watters responded by asking to see his
solicitor. This Outram told him he could not allow at
that moment and formally took him into custody,
afterwards conveying him to Moor-lane Police Station,
On the way there he read the charge to him, and duly
cautioned him as to anything he might say being used
as evidence. Watters merely eaid that all the bonds
he had received from Warden had been in his capacity
as broker. There was no warrant.
Mr. Michael Abrahams prosecuted on behalf of the
bank, and Mr. Fillan appeared for the prisoner.
After a brief statement by Mr. Abrahams, Sergeant
Outram proved the arrest of the prisoner, and the
further hearing of the case was then adjourned.

On Tuesday Mr. Alderman Whitehead sat in the
Court of Queen's Bench at the Guildhall for the
purpose of hearing the charge against George Warden,
late secretary of the London and River Plate Bank
Company, of stealing about £llO,OOO worth of bonds,
the property of the bank.
Mr. Poland and Mr. M. Abrahams prosecuted;
Mr. St. John Wontner appeared for the prisoner;
Mr. Fillan, who defended J. 1). Watters, the pri-
soner's broker, watched the case on behalf of his
client.
Mr. Abrahams briefly opened the charge against
Warden, intimating that he intended to take the cases
separately, as he purposed to put Warden in the box
as a witness against Watters. After mentioning
generally tho value of the blnds missing, be said
the special charge he preferred against Warden that
day was the abstraction from the River Plate Bank
of £27,000 worth of Egyptian Preference Stock,
which was deposited by the Commercial Bank of
Alexandria for an advance. That stock was in
possession of the bank at the audit on the let inst.,
but on that day it was taken by Mr. Warden,
and £16,000 of it WAR banded over to a stockbroker,
in order to release other stock left there by Watters,
which was also abstracted from the bank, but was
required for the audit. That was, therefore, a clear
case of theft by the prisoner. Watters's credit was
then good, and it bad been arranged between the
pris, ner and Welters that the latter should obtain
from the brokers the stock which had previonely
been pledged with them. By this arrangement
they had nearly got through the audit, as they had
produced almost all the securities. Watters gave his
cheque for £23,000 to two brokers for the securi-
ties, and at that time his balance in the bank had
been proved to be only .275. By getting the securities
merely fcr the purpose of producing them to the
auditors, dust was thrown into the eyes of the auditors,
and if they had succeeded in producing all the
securities the discovery would not immediately have
taken place, but a stockbroker to whom some of the
securities had been pledged refused to accept Wattere's
cheque for £27,000 for their return. When Warden
could not get these secnrities to produce to the auditors
on Oct. 1 he went to Watters and said, "The game is
um I cannot produce them. I must go away."
Watters gave him £2OO to go away with.
Evidence was then taken in support of counßel's
statement, at the close of which the Alderman asked
the prisoner if he wished to say anything.
Prisoner: I have nothing to say in answer te the
charge. lam willing to be of every assistance to the
bank in this case. I came back to this country with
that object in view. I regret all that has passed.
The Alderman: Do you wish to call any witnesses,
not as to character, but as to facts?
Prisoner : No, sir.
The Alderman: Then you stand formally com-
mitted for trial at the November sessions of the
Central Criminal Court.
The Court then adjourned for luncheon.

On the Court reassembling after lunlheon, John
Davis Watters was brought up in custody of Detective.
sergeant Ou.ram, charged with stealing and receiving
certain securities, the property of the River Plate
Bank. Warden was also brought up, and took a seat,
seperated trom Watters only by an officer.
Mr. Poland, instructed by Mr. Michael Abrahams
(Abrahams, Son, and Co.) prosecuted; Mr. Fidan
pFared fi,r the prisoner, and Mr. St John Wontner
watched the case for the witness Warden.
Mr. Poland, in his opening statement, explained
the case, but it was entirely an anticipation of the facts
which the witness Warden proved iR evidence. Mr.
Poland added that upon the evidence be should pro.
duce the prisoner must have known that the bonds
were stolen, and that there would be ample ground
to justify the magistrate in sending him before a