An unfortunate end

The law caught up with Davis in May 1949, over 300 dealers having paid a total of around $2m and received no Divans. He was accused of never intending to build cars. The factory had three drop-hammers and a foundry – and there were eighty new engines and $125,000-worth of raw materials on-site. Davis, though, had been paying himself generously and drawing funds for property and cars. He was convicted on 24 charges of grand theft and served two years’ hard labour.