Charges Aggregating a Sum of Tls. 191,978
King Van-doo appeared before Mr. Robyns (Belgian Assessor) and Magistrate Yui at the Mixed! Court last Friday morning charged with obtaining several diamonds from Messrs. H. & L. Goldmuntz by presenting false native bank orders.
Mr. H. D, Rodger acted for complainants, Mr. K. E. Newman appeared for the defendant, and Mr.
Lemitre represented the Chinese pawnshop which received one of the diamonds.
Mr. Newman, in asking for bail, said that his client had never tendered the bank orders for the diamonds nor had he ever had the diamonds. He had been in custody for 11 days. Accused, said Mr. Newman, was a man of substantial means and had credit to the extent. of three or four lakhs. Counsel suggested that Tls. 5,000 shop security would be sufficient.
Mr. Rodger said that the fraud was probably the most gross and daring ever perpetrated in the annals of the Settlement: he had never heard of such: a case before. A number of other charges would be brought; bringing the total amount up to Tls. 191,978. Accused did have credit, submitted counsel, when he obtained the diamonds, but he did not after he presented the false bank orders The total amount outstanding by complainants as a result of these frauds amounted to nearly TIs. 400,000. 4 The chances were that the accused would, have a further charge of forgery of native bank orders preferred against him, continued Mr. Rodger. Counsel opposed Mr, Newman's application and asked that even if bail were to be granted it should be for Tls. 50,000.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.