Weekly News. — 1891-10-29 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE CHARGE AGAINST MR. PERRYMAN. Charles Wilbraham Perryman, editor of the Financial Observer, was indicted at the Old Bailey, on Monday, for, having been entrusted as agent with 22 shares in the Royal Brentford Brewery Company, Limited, with a certain direction to apply the said shares for a certain purpose, in violation of good faith, converting the same to his own use. Mr. Poland, Q.C., and Mr. J. R. Atkin prosecuted, and Mr. Cock, Q.C., and Mr. Forrest Fulton, M.P., defended.  Mr. Poland, in opening the case, said Mr. Samuel Bonnor, who assisted his father in the management of the Union Hotel, Barnsbury, held 12 preference shares and 10 ordinary shares in the Royal Brewery, Brentford. He saw in the Financial Observer that the prisoner dealt on behalf of owners of property of this description, and put himself in communication with him. He distinctly understood that Perryman made himself personally liable for the conduct of the transactions. In a telegram on the 26th August he said he could sell the shares at £9, the market price at the time. The same night he wrote saying he could only find a buyer for five shares at £9,and added, "I think I can get on to them to-morrow.* The prosecutor signed the transfer and sent up the certificates to the prisoner. There was some error in the filling up of the transfer, and a fresh one had to be made out. On the 27th August the prisoner negotiated with Messrs. Jenkinson and Co., who bought five of the ordinary shares and 12 preference shares at £9 10s., and on the 31st August the share certificates for 15 shares and transfers were handed over to a Mr. Phillips, for Messrs. Jenkinson, and in exchange Perryman received a cheque for £l6l 10s. When the prosecutor executed the transfers the name of the transferee was not inserted, but when they were handed to Mr. Phillips the name of Mr. T. E. Proctor had been put in. Perryman paid the cheque into his own bank. With regard to the remaining five shares the transaction was substantially the same, with the exception that it was conducted with a Mr. Mitchell, who bought at £9 10s. Instead of receiving the money the prosecutor got what was called a contract note from the stock and share department of the Financial Observer, which read as follows: "This transaction is subject to the rules and practice of the Stock Exchange. The position of the Financial Observer is that of an ordinary principal. Bought of S. Bonner, Esq.,l2 Brentford Brewery shares,preference,at £9, £108; 10 ordinary! Brentford Brewery shares at £9, £9O, for the Financial Observer and Mining Herald. For the mid-September account." The shares should never have been put in the defendant's name at all; they were intended to be transferred to the persons who had in fact bought them. A long correspondence took place, the prisoner making various excuses. On September 19th, continued counsel, the prosecutor telegraphed, "Send cash to-day, or shall take proceedings." In reply, Perryman wrote, "I am in receipt of your wire. Have not sent money to-day, but hope to send banker's draft on Monday." The draft was not sent, and in subsequent letters Perryman asked for authority to pay over the money, the object, according to Mr. Poland, being to secure delay. When the summons was taken out Perryman wrote, "I am astonished beyond measure to receive a summons on your information to appear at the Mansion House. Had you given me any authority to pay over the money I should have done so. Ido not know the name or even the address of the party who called and said he represented you. If the case proceeds I shall defend myself in the usual way . . . . I cannot pay over the money unless the present proceedings are withdrawn. If you instruct your solicitor to withdraw the summons, my solicitor will hand over the money to Mr. Smith, whom you inform me for the first time is your solicitor." The money was actually paid on October 10th, after the prisoner had been committed, but that, said Mr. Poland, did not purge his offence. For the defence the point had been raised that the certificates and transfer in blank, neither separately nor together, were securities for the payment of money. Mr. Poland argued that the money could not be obtained from the persons from whom it was obtained without a duly executed transfer, and this, he contended, was security. Another point raised by Mr. sock was that no direction in writing for the payment of the money was sent, either with the certificate or the transfer, and that the defendant had parted with the certificate and the transfer by September 18t, before he had any direction in writing. The maiu question for the judge to decide was, was there any entrusting with securities for payment of money? .It had been decided that shares were not securities for money, and, therefore, a transfer could not be. —On Mr. Cock quoting authorities, Sir William Charley said that point was conclusive. Mr. Cock argued that there was no instruction in the writing to Perryman to pay over the £l9B. and Mr. Fulton followed with the contention that certificates and transfers were merely evidence and not security.— Sir Williai..Charley said he had no doubt what his decision would be, but it was just as well he should consult Mr. Justice Wright. The judge, after consulting with Mr. Justice Wright, said the latter', opinion agreed with his, and he must direct the jury to find a verdict of not guilty, as the facts of the case did not bring it within the section uncles which Perryman was charged.  Edward Pinter, aged 57, giving an address .1 0, Dover-street, Piccadilly, described as a merchant, was charged at Bow-street, on Monday, before Mr. Lushington, with being suspected and accused of obtaining money by false pretences within the jurisdiction of the Swiss Government.—Mr. Arthur Newton defended, and asked that on the present occasion evidence of arrest only should be given.— Detective Wagner, of Scotland Yard, stated that in reply to the charge prisoner said, " I have nothing to say." He was arrested on his discharge from Pentonville Prison, after undorgoing a term of imprisonment in connection with "The Philosopher s Stone" frauds.  A farmhouse near Penetanguishene was destroyed by tire on Sunday morning, and three children, who were in the building, were burned to death. Their mother,who wag enveloped in flames, received fatal injuries.  M :41roudsburg (Penn.) a young woman named Annie Warner committed suicide by taking poison last week. In the pocket of her dress was found a letter from her lover, James Bentley, advising her to commit suicide and suggesting a poison for the purpose. It is alleged that Bentley had betrayed the girl.