The Showell Case: Magisterial Proceedings: £27,000 Involved: In anticipation of the full investigation of the charges in the Showell case, public interest was focussed on the Birmingham Stipendiary’s Court on Wednesday morning. The limited and scanty accommodation set apart for spectators was speedily taken up. A dozen or more of the leading shareholders in the company were in attendance. The defendants – Charles Showell and Frederick Richards — were allowed to be seated near their lawyers. Mr. Charles Mathews and Mr. J. J. Parfitt (instructed by Messrs. J. B. Clarke and Co.) were for the prosecution. Mr. Vachell (Pinsent and Co.) defended Showell and Mr. McCardie (Hooper and Ryland) appeared for Richards. The charges against the defendants were that “being directors of a certain public company, to wit. Showells Brewery Company. Ltd., they did in or about the months of November and December 1903, unlawfully and with intent to defraud, falsify certain books, papers, or writings belonging to the said company, to wit: stock sheets and a stock book relating to the amount of hops, malt, sugar, ale and porter, purporting to be in and on the premises of the said company, and belonging to the company, on or about the 3rd and 4th days of October 1903. And also, that they did “unlawfully and with intent to defraud, make or concur in the making of certain false entries in certain books of accounts or other documents belonging to the said company to wit: in the said stock sheets and stock book.” On a further count they were charged with “making, circulating, and publishing” a balance-sheet, with intent defraud the shareholders, which they knew to be false as regards an amount of £110,151 15s 9d placed on the assets side as representing the value of the stock-in-trade upon the premises of the company, on or about the 3rd December, 1903. …
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.