QSR1895/4/5/1/a

Depositions of Henry Chamberlain of Luton, Samuel Hayman, clerk in the Joint Stock Company’s Registration office, Somerset House, London. In the case of Williams Syers, accused of obtaining the sum of £11 5s from Henry Chamberlain by false pretences.

20 July 1895

From: 1895 To: 1895

Henry Chamberlain: A former market gardener living at 24, Salisbury Road, Luton. He saw an advertisement for a manager at Bedford in the daily News. In reply to his letter he received an application form which he completed and returned to the prisoner’s address. In reply to his application he met the prisoner at St. Albans. He paid the prisoner £6 5s. Before paying the prisoner he asked if the company was going to extend its business by opening depots at Bedford and Luton. He prisoner said it had already begun operations and had passed Somerset House. The prisoner said that he was anxious to begin business and that there was someone else ready to take the position if he did not complete at once. The prisoner gave him the receipt for the £1 5s (Document C) which he paid for guarantee premium and a receipt for £5, half of the required amount, for shares. He also signed an agreement on 1st June 1895; however the copy which he received from the prisoner was dated the 17th June 1895. He met the prisoner on the 8th June and again on the 10th June at Luton. He gave the prisoner the other £5 for shares. He received a receipt from the prisoner on the 12th June. He received correspondence from the prisoner indicating that the prisoner had entered into negotiations for office premises. He did not receive instructions to sell coal or information on the prices of coal. No coal ever arrived and no offices were taken. He obtained a warrant against the prisoner on the 6th July. He received the share certificate on the 19th July. The prisoner said he represented 9 branches of insurance including live stock insurance, plate glass insurance and bank insurance. Samuel Hayman: A clerk in the Joint Stock Company’s Registration Office, Somerset House, London. He produced the proceedings of the Great Britain Coal Company Limited which was registered on 11th June 1895. He searched the indexes of the Company’s Register and found no companies registered as the Bank Insurance Company Limited or Smith’s Association of Great Britain. [Cross-Examined] He could not say if there is a company called the Bankers Guarantee Company.

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Chamberlain, Henry,
Hayman, Samuel,
Syers, William

LUTON, London, false pretences