Telal of P. J, MacKellir om three charges of fratidulent embezzlement pened in H. M. Supreme Court yesterday before Judge P. Grant-Jones ind a jury of five persons. Mr. John MeNelll, ihe Crown Advocate, prose-ruled, Mr, H. A, Recks appearing for the defendant. MacKellar pleaded not sullly (0 the charges, which were for embezzling sums of Military Yen 90. $50 banknote and £160 over a period of mont The jury consisted of Messrs. Brennan, W. '7, Cromby, E. Noaikes, Judah and F.C, Mailett, Messrs.
Martin and J. H. Bailey were called but were challenged by Mr. oaks, Proceedings opened! when Mr, C. Hanes, who "conducted the" pre= luminary hearing of the case inthe alice court, react out the charges MacKellay. "He pleaded not guilty these. Mr, MeNeit then ide opening speech, in which ne reviewed NaeKeltat's eaveer in the Americatt Express Company since 1935, 1945 accused was engaged by 1 company og a stenographer, bein peeinoled to the position of" travel ork in the spring of 1997 and head of the travel department later in tne year. Early in 1940 9n accountant the American Express" Company tame to the Shanghai amice to audit the books. He noticed an abnormal umber of outstanding accounts, Later this year he returned to Shanghai, and still nding these outstanding became sus dvawingg the attention of the to. these, to outline the founda tion of the charges siainst MackKellar, August 1940" Mrs, E. Weinberi. booked a passe to Japan, "payin Military "Yen 00. "Chis money never found! its way, into the ash box of the company," said the Crown Advocate. On August 16 Mr. Jones booked passages to Japan. paying a $50 banknote for the tickets. " When the accused took thix note to the feller in the company he merely asked for change, not referring 10 the purpose for the note hod been paid, continued Mr. MeNeil, 'The third charge concerned the uuccount of Mr. Loonis, who booked passage to Europe for' his wife and daughter, paying £400 in English the return tickets, Bu. MacKellar did not pay. the £4U0 he received 10 the company: hie paid the company a much smaller amount in two sums, one of £86 und one of £154, making in all £240, which "represented the one-way.
The first witness was Det.-Sergeant 1D. G, Jones, who testified that he artesied MacKellar on September 21 at the Central Police Station, Mr.
Riggs, local manger of the American Express Company, stated that the accused was a very' capable employee, and held a position of considerable "authority, being per= ted to extend credit to customers would ie wish to. At this time the jury was sent out of court ax the question arose us to whether lieged confession by MacKellar to Me, Riggs and others was admissible ay evidence. "When the hearing was resumed in' the afternoon it was Hecided that the evidence was missible, and the ease proceeded before the jun Before the {estimony concerning the alleged confession was heard, however, Mr. Albert Loonis was called tthe box. He stated that in February 1939" he visited the American Express," buying two toluen Uekets to Genoa for £400 in cash. He received tickets immediately. When the time came to tuse the return voucher, however, the war had broken onl, and as he' had hooked by the Nord Deutscher Lloyd hho was unable to use it. He asked for a refund of his £160, from the focal ofice of the Riv D, 1. and wats given this less 10 per cent. He went rea Express to claim which "represented their he saw Mac-
Kellar, who had attended to ins when he bought the tickets, and poke to him about the matter.
Mr, Rigys was recalled, stating that on September 18 he caited the wecused (0 this office and suid to him "Well Mac, we have discovered you—we know how you manipulated Certain accounts!" MacKellar is lieged to have replied to this "What is there to say? This whole thin has been preying on my mind and the fear of exposure has Kept rom sleeping for weeks." On the divice of Mr, 1, D. Rodger, Tegal adviser to the company, MacKellar was arrested, "During examination "of this" wit Reeks said that he felt exhausted,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.