THE BOTTOMLEY CASE

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 30, 29 October 1921, Page 7

THE BOTTOMLEY CASE

EXTRAORDINARY EVIDENCE,

(Rec. October 28, 8.10 p.m.) London,) October 27; Mr. Horatio. Bottomley’s two and a half davs’ cross-examination has concluded. He had several encounters with Sir Henry Biron, the Magistrate, whom Bcttomley accused of intolerable bias. Sir Henry Biron asked Boltomley to aiswer a question, and not to make a bP M? b Elias, managing director of Oldhum’s Press, gave evidence that he admitted discussing with Mr. Bigland the question, of withdrawing the charges. He bad also handed Bigland a note containing four .questions which were to put to Bottomley. In cross-examination Mr. Elias said he had previously seen Bottomley and asked him to accept an apology. Bottomley himself wrote the questions on paper. Mr. Elias, that, ho was acting as Bottomley s agent Ul Sir l Henry te ßiron commented that this evidence was of a very extraordinary character, and required a great deal ot tovStion.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable A’ssn [Horatio Bottomley is Reuben Bigland for criminal libel for sellin" a" pamphlet broadcast in the streets of London, which alleged that "that arch-rogue Bottomley become the possessor of nearly a million of money through his Victory Bon. 1 In opening the case on behalf of Bottom lev, Sir Ernest Wild denied’ the statements in the pamphlet, and alleged that Bigland for five years had been attemiitintr to extort money, culminating in Bigland’s forcibly entering Bottomley s flat nt Kingston at 7 o’clock the morm ing and asking for £60.000. Sh E Wild said that tho pnWic liad siibscnlied £450.000 to the Vietoiy Bond Club, of which £350,000 had been returned to the public after the Victory bond® fell from ’eBs to £75. Of t his Bottomley found £35.000 out of his own pocket in order to pftv Bn civ the subscribers. J