Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1890-02-08 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

ONWARD BUILDING SOCIETY.  DEFALCATIONS OF £40,000.  ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OF THE  SECRETARY.  , Seldom have the people of Darlington, and indeed of the North-Eastern district generally, had a greater sensation than that which was revealed on Thursday in connection with the Onward Building Society. The Society is a large one, and has enjoyed the reputation of being a flourishing one. It has a patron list which includes the names of some of the best known gentry in South Durham and the North Riding. Established in 1865, it has done a great business, not only in Darlington, but the wide district surrounding, having agents at Shildon, Bishop Auckland, Barnard Castle, Crook, Weardale, Appleby:and Kirkby Stephen, Stockton and Middleebrough, Hartlepool, West Hartlepool, Ripon, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Durham, and York. It possesses about 7,500 members and depositors, and its turn-over has been about £lOO,OOO a year. The reserve fund amounts to between £lO,OOO and £12,000. The late secretary was Mr John Harrison, who was a land agent and surveyor, and the proprietor of the Linthorpe Pottery, near Middlesbrough, who held the post for many years, being paid by commission. The offices in which the business of the Society was conducted in Darlington were his, and he paid all the clerks employed, Mr Dennison being the chief, and having the transaction of most of the affairs of the Society, and in fact being practically the secretary, Mr Harrison being a great speculator, and having his hands full of other affairs. Mr Harrison practically farmed the clerical affairs of the Society, appointing clerks and paying for all assistance, including that of Mr Dennison, aad all employed in the offices were responsible to him and not to the Society. In April last Mr Harrison, .who then resided in  Pierrement-ereacent, Darlington, died rather suddenly from pneumonia. The directors of the Building Society, of whom Mr M.:sworn is chairman, and Mr George Marshall vice-chairman, feeling dissatisfied with the arrangement which had existed, and thinking that they should have officials more directly responsible to them, appointed Mr Dennison secretary on May 13th, he having a thorough knowledge of the business of the Society and being much respected. They purchased the offices and appointed the clerks, so that now the whole business is conducted by a staff under the entire control of the directors. Such then was the position of affairs when the period approached for Mr Dennison to prepare his first balance sheet of the affairs of the Society. The auditors, Mr Laidler, chartered accountant, and Mr Thomas Robson, went to the offices on Wednesday and began their work of auditing the accounts for the past year, and about four o'clock Mr Dennison was asked to produce certain deeds, and thereupon left the room. Shortly afterwards  A SHOT WAS HEARD, a youth rushed into the room and gave an alarm, and Mr Robson and Mr Laidler, rushing out, discovered Mr Dennison in the lavatory in a pool of blood. He was bleeding profusely from a wound under the chin, having shot himself with a small six-chambered revolver. The unfortunate gentleman was able, however, to walk down two steps and up two others to the Board-room, where the audit had been proceeding. There he said something to the effect that he felt unable to face the auditors. Dr. Raine was sent for and he ascertained that the bullet had entered immediately under the chin, passed through the tongue and palate, and penetrated to the region of the frontal bone, where 11 was lodged. That there was a certain amount of premeditation is proved by the fact that on Wednesday morning Mr Dennison had gone to Mr J. F. Smythe's shop in Blackwellgate, and there purchased a 320 centralfire revolver and six cartridges from Mr Smythe's ansistant, Mr It. W. Griffin, who, at his request, loaded it for him and gave it to him ready for firing. When discovered, the unfortunate man had discharged one chamber, and it is surmised from the appearance of the weapon that a second attempt to discharge it had failed. Word was sent to his wife that he had been seized with a fit, and was being brought home, those around him being desirous of sparing her the shock of learning what had actually occurred and preparing her for the more serious phase of the case. Then Mr Dennison was helped into a cab, being perfectly conscious and able to converse, though weak from loss of blood, and was conveyed to his home in Upper Westbrook. He walked with assistance from the road to the house and up to his bed-room. He is now progressing favourably, and will probably recover unless inflammation or erysipelas is induced by the presence of the bullet. The reasons which prompted Mr Dennisor. to commit the rash act are only too apparent when taken in conjonction with the statements made in  A ',Ewalt TO