Richard King, a former manager of the Capital and Counties Bank in Ventnor – who had absconded the previous November – was apprehended in Argentina in 1879.
At the time of King’s disappearance, it was thought he had gone to the mainland for a family visit. After he had failed to return, the bank staff became suspicious. An investigation subsequently discovered that several thousand pounds were missing from the bank’s accounts (a 7-figure sum in today’s values).
1 of the bank’s customers, Mr Daniel Attrill – who was believed to have been an associate of King’s – was taken into custody by the local constabulary. During the course of his arrest, King had struck 1 of the officers sent to detain him.
Despite the judge stating that he was as lenient as he could possibly be, Attrill was sentenced to 12 months’ hard labour for fraud.
King’s fate was worse: having suffered severe beatings during his incarceration, he went insane.
The Capital and Counties Bank had 473 branches across the country. It was acquired by Lloyds Bank in 1918.
I bet he’s still waiting for his case to come up in court.
I expect now, with such a criminal mind, well versed in finance, he would be a candidate for the CEO of Lloyds
I expect the residents of Ventnor today will be asking ‘what is a bank manager’
Good story but it was Attrill that struck the policeman not King?
And as people say unlike banks to steal our money.