Shut up and off! What do you need from me? How do you do? This is Tide Brook. Do you gamble? If so, what sort of gambling do you like? Horse racing? Poker? How do you stand? Since you started betting or playing cards, I mean. Are you in or out? Well, I'll make a little bet. I'll bet you're out. I remember once in California, sitting at breakfast with half a dozen dollar millionaires many times over, and all of them betting and gambling then. I asked them if they thought they would have been better off if they'd never laid a bet or touched a card. Five of them said they were down, and the sixth said he'd lost plenty also. That added, it was a lot of fun. Then someone grunted, fortunately you could afford it. That's right, he said. Fortunately I could afford it. The story I'm going to tell you today is about someone who could not afford it. In Scotlandia, the case is known as the Liverpool Bank fraud. Personally I should prefer to call it the case of the perfect sap. But then so many of us gamble and so many of us lose, and so many of us are saps, that a few of us might take such a tight little personality. So we'll stick to the Liverpool Bank fraud. Music There's something always very dignified and slightly awe-inspiring about the atmosphere of the general manager's office of a large bank. And if ever you find yourself in one, to discuss your overdraft for instance, your conversations act to be carried on in the hushed tones you usually reserve for places like, well let us say St Paul's Cathedral. That's the way it usually was I've no doubt in the manager's office of the Bank of Liverpool. But that's the way it certainly was not on this particular day on which our story begins, the 21st of November 1901, when a chief accountant had just brought to the general manager news which was, to put it mildly, of a somewhat disturbing character. That discrepancy of £160,000 you said? That's as low as I can calculate at the moment sir. It may be a little less, it may be a little more. It is unbelievable. How could anyone possibly get away with such a sum? There must be some mistake. There's no mistake sir, I've made a careful check of books. So much for our foolproof accountancy system, so much for our auditors. There is going to be a bad use to pay over this. We'll be lucky if we don't lose our jobs. No don't sir, that's what I told my wife. Oh the devil with your wife, man, what have I got to tell the board? This is going to be the biggest financial scandal of the years. I don't suppose sir, it could be hushed up. Of course it couldn't be hushed up, don't talk like a fool. No sir, it was our young guardie, will he see him now? You're quite sure he's the one responsible. There's no doubt about it sir. I can't understand it, but from my word I can't. I always thought he seemed quiet, decent, honest young man. How long has he been with us? Eight years, it began to be his 21st birthday. He comes with respectable parents, haven't you? Most respectable sir, Scottish. It's going to be a sad note, isn't it? Oh for heaven's sake, man, stop being so over-the-peeper. It's the sorrow of our sorrows. Don't you realise how serious this is? Tell me, is this Gowdy, is he married? No sir, he's not, in the words dependent on talent, I know. Does he drink? Does he keep bad company? No sir, he's a very steady, sober young man. We've been paying him a decent salary, haven't we? That we have sir. Last year it was raised to three pounds a week, no less. Three pounds a week? No, no, prospect of further advancement and a pension on retirement. But from this sorrow, aren't many young men so fortunate? What on earth possessed him to keep over the traces in this extraordinary way? You can't say this to that sir, because I've already told you I've not spoken to him yet. I thought about it enough to let him know it had been very long until you were in possession of all the facts. Shall I ask that to him sir? Yes, yes. I do hope he's not going to be too difficult. Hmm, I don't think they're going to be. I hope they will trust, they always do. But if we get to the truth, I don't see a real light, I'll never fear. And so Thomas Peterson Gowdy told the matter. As a matter of fact, he wasn't difficult about it at all. He'd been expecting this call for a long time and he knew the game was up. So he admitted everything quite frankly. Perhaps a little too frankly for the taste of the manager. Aye sir, the figures are right enough. £163,272 to be exact. I've kept a careful note of it all in this little book here. Gowdy, do you understand why I can't? You haven't shown any shame on them? I'm not so proud of what I've done sir, but you've asked me straight questions, so I've given a straight answer. I wonder where this incredible business has been going. About three years. £160,000 in three years? Right up from over 1,000 hands a week sir. Do you realise what that means Gowdy? All the publicity and disgrace of a trial, imprisonment, your career alert, your whole life ruined. I realise it only too well sir. Yes, well you've only one chance young man. What's that? Return this money you've embezzled and then perhaps the judge will take a more lenient view of your case. I can't sir. Why not? Because I've never got it. What's that you say? I've got it sir, it's all gone, every penny. No sir, it's not possible for anyone to spend a thousand pounds a week in and a week out for three years. Well I have. Well then you'll be left on your own. Champagne parties, diamonds for actresses? Nothing as pleasurable as that. Then what, what? On horse racing. Have you been buying race horses? No sir, betting on them and losing. Not that I couldn't have bought half of them ten times over for the money they've cost me. I must be sorry I'd never believed it possible that anyone could go in and away I have week after week, month after month, without ever backing away. I don't understand it, upon my soul I don't. What enjoyment could you possibly get out of anything like that? None at all, it's been the most miserable three years in the life. Well then what brings me here to a pardoning direction sir? If I were in down the air, none of this paper books or smarters would have known I was a fine man. Yes, how could you? We've always prided ourselves, our system is watertight. Oh that part was easy. As you can, I'm a ledger keeper in charge of the book with customers from A, H to K. One of the accounts in my ledger is Mr Hudson, a soap gentleman who often cashes checks for large amounts. All I did was to open an account of my own so I could buy blank check forms and then forge Mr Hudson's name and present the check for payment. That's even so, you cost sir. The teller would enter the check in the journal and then pass both along to me for entering my ledger. I'd mark the journal as if the ledger had been posted, but I would not make any entry in the ledger at all and I'd destroy the check. You see sir, it was quite simple. Well surely the first time a ledger and journal would compare the discrepancies of the planet. Aye, but I was able to overcome that sir by a method I devised. It's a bit complicated to explain in detail, but if you'll give me a lead I'll get the book sir and I'll show you how it is done. They're just outside my journal office. Fetch them, fetch them by all means. Aye sir, if you'll pardon me I'll not be a minute. I don't know whether you've understood all this talk about journals and ledgers and so on. Quite frankly I haven't. Again I can't even understand my own income tax assessments. Well I don't want to anyway. Anyhow it doesn't matter very much, for by now you've suspected, as the manager and accountant obviously didn't, that Gowdy's purpose in leaving the room was not to bring back the books at all. Well a minute passed, then a second, then a third, and finally the manager began to feel vaguely that everything wasn't as it should be. He sent the accountant out to look for Gowdy. The accountant at any rate was back promptly enough. Hello? He's gone sir. What do you mean? Gone? Yes sir, he walked straight out of the office, took his open coat and went to a phone call as calm as he liked. Why didn't you tell me to stop him? Aye, I suppose there are problems under this view sir. Go ahead and sit down, stand at the gate of that room and do something. What do you suggest? Send someone after him at once and get in touch with the police. Oh never mind, I'll do it myself. As you can imagine there was quite a hue and cry of the young Mr. Thomas Peterson Gowdy, supervised by the chief commissioner of police himself. The point to be most bear in mind is that the fellow obviously has plenty of money. The last cheque he forged only ten days ago was for 31,000 pounds. He's bound to try to get out of England as quickly as possible and he won't care what it costs. My guess is that he's probably bribed the captain of some cargo ship in his will out at sea already. However, we must do the best we can. Telegraph his description to all police stations. Ask for a careful watch to be kept at all the reductions and walls. Have ships passengers checked and the captain of every ship in every port interviewed. If only those people at the bank hadn't let him step so stupidly through their fingers, we wouldn't have had to do all this. Nothing else as soon as anything happens. Music As it turned out the commissioner was a shade optimistic. For whatever had become of the 31,000 pounds, Gowdy certainly didn't have it. A few days later in a village not very far from Liverpool, an innkeeper found himself involved with trouble with one of his guests. Just a minute if you don't mind Mr. MacBone. Where do you think you're going with that part manto? Why, I'm leaving. I told you I'd be off today. So you thought you could just work out on me, eh? What about my money? That's 37 shillings you owe me. Aye, of course. I'll write you a cheque. No cheques, thanks. I'll have cash if you don't mind. I might have read you cash just now, but if you'll wait till I go to the bank... Oh no you don't. I've been bit that way before. I want your cash Mr. MacBone and I want it now. But I tell you I've not got it. In that case I'll keep your bag till you find it. Come on, give it here. What do you think you're doing? That's mine. Let go of it. I want my money. Give me my bag. Now come on then. Now then, what's going on here? Well, this man's trying to get away without paying the board. That's not true, constable. He's trying to steal my clothes. I'm all in him for security. I offered to pay you. Oh no you didn't. That's not enough. Oh dear you. Haven't I seen you before? You may have done. I've been in the village a few days. What's your name? Douglas MacBaine. Are you quite sure of that? Are you quite sure it's not Thomas Peterson Gowdy? Of course I'm sure. Who's he? I've never heard of him. You answer his description well enough. I tell him my name's MacBaine. Perhaps so and perhaps not. I'd better take you to the station. I think, rather talk to Sergeant. And I'd not try any silly business about it as you, my lad. I was North Country wrestling champion. Catch us catch can not so long ago. Go on along with you now. Music Gowdy did the best he could of course. He persisted in an indignant denial of his identity and he was still persisting and threatening all sorts of legal action when they returned him to Liverpool in custody. There in his cell he was identified by the manager of the bank and when that gentleman had gone... Well young men, you still deny you're Thomas Gowdy? There doesn't seem to be much point about it, nor does there? None at all. All right, I admit it then. And that's being much more sensible I must say. You know Gowdy, we policemen aren't such bad fellows. We can help you a lot if you're prepared to help us. What is it you want me to do? About all this money, would you care to come into my office and make a statement? I might as well I suppose, but I don't suppose you'll ever believe me. I wouldn't mind having a bet on that. Music Music As you've gathered by now, Thomas Gowdy was not a young man to do anything by half measures. When he'd embarked on his career of embezzlement, he'd made a thorough job of it. After all, 160,000 pounds is hardly a sum to be sneezed at. And now that he'd decided to confess, he made a thorough job of that too. It was an incredible story he told. It was incredible, for a while the priest commissioner must have found it difficult to believe, except of course that no one could have invented anything quite so fantastic. Well, it had all begun about three years ago, so Gowdy's statement went. He was in a bar and a pub, not very far from the bank, having a sandwich and a pint of mild and bitter for lunch, when he got into casual conversation with a man standing next to him. A well-dressed, well-spoken, very pleasant sort of man. What are you having for this time of the year? Ah, it is that. Seems almost a crime to waste time indoors. Won't you be out in the sunshine? As a matter of fact, I think I'll treat myself to an afternoon of the races. Oh, are they having races today? Yes, didn't you know? They don't take much interest in racing. You should. It's a fine sport, and it can be very profitable too. I don't suppose you'd like to take pity on a lonely Londoner and come out with me? Of course. If I couldn't do that, I'd have to go back at the bank in ten minutes. You work in a bank, don't you? I have a bank in Liverpool. Do you? Splendid institution, I'm told. You know, I have heard it said they're traveling nakedly in the salaries they pay. Well, aren't exactly generous. What would a young man like yourself, if it's not a rude question, ten pounds of you? Divide that by four and you'd be nearer than much. What? Well, it's absurd. Unskilled laborers that are almost as much these days. I wonder who's taking it. A job's a job. Quite so, but there's no need to make yourself a slave to it. There are other ways of making money and working for it. Take myself, for instance. I often earn as much an afternoon as you'd win a whole year. You do? Betting on the racehorses, you mean? No. I've been told racing was a game for fools. So it is, unless you know the right people. Well, this afternoon, for example, there's a mare running in a tooth-hurter that can't possibly be beaten. In fact, I happen to know it's all arranged for her to win. You mean arranged in advance? Precisely. And these things are quite often, you know. So what shall I do? I shall go off to the courts, I shall wage your modest fifty pounds of three to one, and I shall come home this evening a hundred and fifty to the good. Quite a pleasant and remunerative day's worth, eh? Aye, very pleasant. Yes. What a shame you can't come with me. I don't imagine you'd object to picking up a little easy money on the side any more than most lawyers. Still duty calls, I suppose. I'm afraid it does. Yes, oh well, some other time, perhaps. Oh, look here, sir. Kelly, it is my name. Oh, look here, Mr. Kelly. I suppose if I were to, well, to give you a couple of pounds, could you take it out and bet it for me? Yes, yes, of course. But wouldn't it be asking too great a favour? Not at all. Well, if you're quite sure, then here's the money. Oh, I see. Look, you're very trusting, aren't you? I mean, after all, I'm a complete stranger. Well, how do you know I shall just disappear with your money and not turn up again? I can tell on honest men when I see one. I don't suggest it, Mr. Chitwin, if I've had any doubts about you. It's awfully kind of you, old man. It may depend on how I shall get you down. Let's have another drink, shall we? Oh, no, no, please, no, this is my privilege. Yes, of course, the same old story. It's happened a thousand times and it's amazing how little the technique changed with the years. No doubt Gowdy was gullible, but aren't we all at one time or another? By some mischance, the mayor didn't win the two-thirty after all. And when the obliging Mr. Kelly turned up that evening, he brought no winnings, only a sad account of a plunge that had gone astray. Gowdy regarded the loss of his two pounds with no little drool. But Kelly, who'd lost considerably more, also he said, refused to be in the least downhearted. Hello, hello. Sure, old man, we'll get it all back tomorrow at compound interest. Tomorrow? You know the old saying, a horse that won't succeed and all that. As a matter of fact, there's a horse called Flyaway Paw entered for three o'clock. I'm not quite sure it's all fixed yet, my dear Gowdy, but I've arranged to meet the trainer here. A man by the name of Styles, a rough diamond robber, but you'll like him, sure. He's promised to let me know when he comes home. Good evening, Styles. How are you, Mr. Kelly? Styles, I'd like you to meet Mr. Gowdy. Oh, pleased to meet you, sir, I'm sure. How do you do? Begging your pardon, Mr. Kelly, but I've only a minute to spare, so if you'll make up a little word in private, as you might say. He would speak quite openly before Mr. Gowdy, and he'll our friend. Oh, well, that'd be the case, sir. It's all set and moves the word. Ah, there's no doubt in the room. Yeah, he'd have to pull everyone back his neck for him to take it off him. Splendid. Styles, here's a ten pound note for your trouble. Oh, much obliged, sir, I'm sure, sir. And next time you get any information, don't forget to let me know. Oh, I'm always happy to do business with a gent like yourself. Good evening, sir. Good evening, Styles. Dear old man, may I see how simple it is? Of course, the flyaway pole is sure to be at a short price, no more than two to one, I should think. But I see, Maxine, with any odds about a winner, a good odds. Now, I suggest you let me have a fiver. That means you'll clear today's loss and be eight pounds to the good. Five pounds is a lot of money to risk on a race horse. Nonsense, where's the risk? You know, if you don't speculate, you would accumulate, you know. I'm afraid I've not got five pounds with me at the moment. That's all right. You can let me have it tomorrow at lunchtime. In fact, if it's going to inconvenience you to get the money, I could stake it to you as a loan. Just between the points, you understand? Be kind of you, but I'll have it with me. And so the land was led to the slaughter. It was amazing how many of Kelly's hot tips didn't win, and even more amazing how quickly and how heavily Gowdy found himself in debt. Kelly was quite decent about it, of course, but after a while, quite understandably, he began to hint that he liked his money. And if it wasn't forthcoming, he might be obliged to go to the bank and lay a complaint. Gowdy knew that would mean dismissal, so in desperation he forged his first cheque. And when that wasn't found out, he forged another and another. Not that the money ever did him any good. On the contrary, it went straight into the pachers and apparently bottomed his pockets of Mrs. Kelly and Stiles. It didn't take this pair long to realize how Gowdy must be obtaining these very welcome coins, and his knowledge gave them an extra and powerful hold over him. In fact, within a few months they were so sure of themselves that they didn't feel the need to pretend any longer. A good news, Fy'ry, I've decided you should have 200 pounds on Grey Seal tomorrow afternoon. 200 pounds? On the second vote we'll make it three. You can't bet your way Grey Seal's got no chance of winning. Don't say that, old man. We're just do have some handy little rickers. I did when I'd no see the money. Of course you wouldn't. In other words, this is blackmail, nothing less. Here, here, that's not what you're talking about. Mrs. Stiles, of course it's blackmail. And very nice blackmail too, I must say. You think you've got me just where you want me, don't you? Haven't we? Suppose I refuse to let you have any more money. There'll be some discussing such a rare possibility. Would you imagine I'm going to lay my hands on 300 pounds? From the same place you've led to his arrest, I do. What a thief of a life that you've done. Suppose you've informed that. Well, that'd rather be a blackmail, wouldn't it? Suppose we stop him, Gowdy. We won't bet money. Have it here at noon tomorrow. We'll have to see what happens. The more Gowdy paid them, the greater became their demands. And the checks he was forced to forge became larger and more frequent. He'll then send them to three or eight, they'd been of no less than 70,000 pounds. How such wholesale robbery could go on for so long without being discovered at bank? If one of those mischiefs that I for one shall never understand. And what Gowdy must have felt, being trivially inundated since utter helplessness, is hard to imagine. Obviously there had to be a breaking point somewhere. But when it did come ultimately, it was from an unexpected source. This sudden and overwhelming action of the Parkeian styles hadn't gone unnoticed among their own fraternity. And three gentlemen of the test, James Burridge, Mances and Marx, set out to discover where it was coming from. Marx was in the brim to the show, and the tactics he used were of the good old fashioned and usually effective variety. Would you all have a drink Mr. Stiles? That's very cold of you Mr. Marx, very cold to you. Oh, sure boy, it was a pleasure to drink with that parrot. Yeah, much obliged, your gentleman. As we have always said, say what you like Mr. Marx, as a gentleman, I've always said. Thank you very much, cheers old boy. Cheers. You know something, you know something Mr. Marx? I'll buy you a drink. Oh no, no, no, this is my part. Can you keep your money? Well maybe you can play more with this, we'll just roll in there Mr. Kelly and me. Yeah, yeah, shall I tell you something? We'll just have a goldmine, we have a regular bloody goldmine. You interest me enormously, if you'll go on. And of course Stiles did go on and on until the whole story had been revealed. I know Mr. Marx was a man of quite commendable enterprise. He knew that the time to strike was when the iron was hot. And so on the following day, October the 18th, 1901, if you must be exact, Thomas Peterson Gowdy has a visitor who had a proposition to proclaim that it should please be itself. Mr. Burge and Mr. Mancys and myself are in partnership as turf-cutting agents Mr. Gary. Oh God, you've been recommended to us as a very generous better. Have we decided that you should transfer your custom to us? You're awaiting the news of all, we've decided that tomorrow after you're on to invest £5,000 on Princess Kitty. Cash of course, small notes for preference. And again what are you talking about? I think we understand each other quite well Mr. Gowdy. If you could let us have the money by tomorrow it would suit amirably. Oh, and I wouldn't mention this to Mr. Kelly or Mr. Stiles if I were you. Am I missing a stone? Well that's your game, eh? Exactly. I'll not do it. I've been bread enough as it is. Oh, can't can Mr. Gowdy. Why make such a fuss over such a small sum? You call £5,000 small? Amir Bagotel, surely for a mobile resource is the Bank of Liverpool behind him? I met your general manager once, a charming fellow. I'll not pretend to call on him again and say I have you doing. I've some free time tomorrow morning. Do you? Amir Bagotel, you'll get your money. That's very sensible of you Mr. Gowdy. I'll see you at noon. Good night. It was all much too easy. Burge, Manses and Marks followed up their first amount for £5,000 on Seng9. Gowdy protested with it. The next day they demanded £16,000. We had no less than £30,000. And a week after that, £31,000. Gowdy forged and cashed all the checks and handed over the money. £91,000 within three weeks. Incredible? That's what I just said too, but it actually happened. Well that was the story Thomas Gowdy told the police commissioner. And the commissioner lost no time going to work. Kay, Spiles and Burge were quickly run to work, but Manses and Marks got their way for the best part of £50,000. They've got found then, and they never have been to this day. But for Gowdy the ordeal was not by any means over. Now Gowdy, I presume you want to make things as light for yourself as possible, don't you? I don't care any much what happens now. I'll put it to you this way then. You want to see justice done as far as possible, don't you? Yes, I do. That's the way to talk. I've discussed this case with Mr. Charles Gill who will be persecuting. And I understand that you face a matter of individual charges, also several jointly with Killian Spiles and Sir Arthur Thurbridge. Now what Mr. Gill suggests is this. If you plead guilty to the charges against your health, and the others plead not guilty, you will then become available to give evidence against them. Will you do that? I wouldn't have liked that in any way. Nonsense man. What have they ever done for you except lead you deeper and deeper into the mire? You've never got yourself into this mess at all, have you, for them? That's so, isn't it? Aye, that's true enough. Very well then. What do you say? Ponder is your bestseller. Thanks to God's evidence and the way he stood up to the whirling cross-examination, the charges against Killian Spiles and Sir Arthur Thurbridge were fully proven, and they were found guilty and sent to jail for long periods. As for such gullible felony by one of the ablest men in the country, Frederick Edwin Smith, first Earl of Birkenhead, had come looking to the event. But even his eloquent plea that his clients' crimes were committed under compulsion, an adjunct for exposure, carried little weight, and Gowdy was sentenced to ten years penal servitude. He died in jail, perhaps the only criminal in history to have embezzled 160,000 pounds without gaining any financial benefit for himself. He lost his job, he lost his money, he lost his health, he died in jail. He was a perfect sight. Well, that's over now, but I'll be back again soon to tell you some more of the secrets of Scotland Yard. Meanwhile, this is Tridebrooke saying goodbye and pleasant greetings. Thank you. Thank you.
