Melksham Times Past – But, where did all the money go? Part 2

WE last left embezzler Ernest Awdry Stiles awaiting his fate following a remarkable capture in Spain after a happenstance sighting of him in Santander by a Mr Hiscox, a former resident of Melksham.

Stiles had been using the alias “Alfred Stokes” but was formally identified by a photograph. With a cash reward in hand, police inspector Luffman had to follow Stiles further into Spain; Stiles had left Santander by the time Luffman arrived, and it was generally supposed that Stiles would have saved himself from all chance of apprehension by joining the Carlist army. “Had he done so,” stated one newspaper, “our first intelligence might probably have recorded the fact that, instead of Stiles being in custody, inspector Luffman was hanging by the neck from the nearest tree.”

Back in Melksham, Ernest Awdry Stiles was charged with conspiracy and larceny and sentenced to 14 years and six months (concurrent) penal servitude.

His cohorts in the misdeeds also paid a price.

• William Arthur Eyles, corn merchant in Semington, was brought up on charges for what he did, on or about October 1870, with Stiles, “unlawfully and wickedly conspire, combine, confederated and agree together, falsely and fraudulently, to cheat and defraud the North Wilts Banking Company of £455 14s 6d” as well as on other dates and in other amounts. The charge was made because Eyles had gone bankrupt and was indebted to the bank. Stiles wanted to keep the matter secret from the bank authorities and got someone else to take the bills as a debt put on Eyles’ estate. Eyles was charged with larceny and sentenced to seven years.

• Henry John Bown, innkeeper at the King’s Arms. Checks and bills (68 in total) in Bown’s name, in an amount totalling £7,442 11s 10d, were retrieved from Stiles’ home and were considered to be a felonious abstraction of bank securities. Between March 1873 and October 1874, Stiles gave Bown fictitious credit in the bank journal. Bown was charged with conspiracy and sentenced to 18 years and labour.

Stiles’ brother-in-law, Thomas Matravers, and Mr J B Wood, solicitor of Chippenham, were in court in 1876 to answer charges they unlawfully liquidated Stiles to declare him bankrupt, which Stiles had requested they do the night before he absconded to Spain. Wood was also asked to settle his affairs and give the balance of his estate to his wife, Lucy (£560).

In a separate suit, Mr Wood, mentioned above, took Stiles to court for payment on a £25 loan made, which a horse had been used as collateral. It was Wood’s understanding that he owned the horse, and would sell it to repay the debt. The judge disagreed, stating that Stiles had not given up the horse before he left for Spain, and Wood was charged costs.

Stiles was released from prison after serving only five years on the understanding he would leave the country. He died in South Africa in 1897. His wife, Lucy (Matravers) Stiles, remained living in Melksham at Avon House until her mother’s death in 1893, and moved to Clifton.

The police were still were not sure of the exact amount of money that had been embezzled, but doubted they were able to account for all of it.