December 13, 2012

Date Published: 12-Dec-2012

1912

Bank clerk sentenced

At the Connacht Winter Assizes in Limerick, a bank clerk who pleaded guilty to the forgery of three promissory notes for £25, £15 and £10, was put forward to receive sentence.

Mr. J.B. Powell, K.C., said the accused, who was a clerk in the Bank of Ireland branch at Sligo, bore an excellent character up to this, and was held in great regard by the officials.

He was well connected, and his relatives intended to send him to Canada to retrieve his position. The accused lost the money through, unfortunately, having been tempted to fall into the habit of betting.

Canon Ardill, Sligo, and the manager of the Sligo branch gave the prisoner an excellent character.

His Lordship expressed regret that he did not find himself able to deal with the prisoner under the First Offenders Act. In the present case the bank was at a serious loss. Over £600 had been lost to the bank by the acts of the prisoner, and all the money had gone into the pockets of the betting fraternity.

Bookmakers had got all the money because the prisoner got into debt with them through betting. Then, for the purpose of raising the money to pay the debts, the prisoner forged the names of depositors who had a little money in the bank, they being absolutely ignorant of the proceeding.

The sentence of the Court was that the accused should be imprisoned for twelve months, and kept at hard labour.

1937

Arctic weather

A spell of Arctic weather was experienced in Connemara over the weekend. There was a heavy covering of snow on the Twelve Pins on Saturday morning and a light sprinkling lay on the foothills.

While a motor lorry from Galway was travelling from Maam Cross to Recess on Saturday night, a heavy shower of hailstones swept down suddenly from the hills and so completely blinded the driver’s vision that the vehicle collided with the bank and upset across the road.

New Mayor

Alderman J.F. Costello, M.P.S.I., H.C., Vicar’s Croft, Taylor’s Hill, Galway (Independent Business) was, at the first meeting of Galway’s new Corporation on Thursday, unanimously elected the Right Worshipful, the Mayor of Galway. The meeting was held in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall, where just three weeks ago, the last meeting of the Urban Council was held.

The Mayor said: “This meeting marks a new era in the history of Galway and I hope that we will not betray the trust that has been placed upon us by the people of the city. I will do my utmost to justify your confidence and the confidence of the electors (applause).”

Furbo House bought

Furbo House, the well-known Galway building and landmark, has been purchased from the Department of Education by Mr. J.P. Digby, the well-known Dublin businessman and lover of sport.

Mr. Digby was surprised that the news of his purchase had leaked out. When I approached him in his office and informed him that the people of Galway were anxious to know if it were correct that he had purchased Furbo, he replied with a laugh: “It is, but how did it get out?

“I like Galway and Connemara very much. I spend a good deal of time there fishing, and of course my wife is from Galway, which adds to the pleasure. There is a very nice demesne and fine wooded area attached to the house. It is a lovely place in summer. I am sure I shall go to live in the place yet,” he said.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.