The Bottomly Case.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1922, Page 1

The Bottomly Case.

tUS'l'l! A MAN ANI) N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION LONDON, March B.' At (Bow Street Court, Horatio Bottomley was charged, as cabled on Feb. 22nd. The Court was crowded, including Bigland. Bottomlev conducted bis own defence. Travers Humphreys, prosecuting, sa.id there would be a- number of. other charges which would be opened later, the liability being penal servitude

LONDON, March 10

In opening the case for the prosecution njga.inst Bottomley, at Bow Street Court, Travers Humphreys said by the end of 1919 £493,000 sterling was received from subscribers with which Bottomley purchased bonds nominally worth half a million, costing £421,000. On December 17th, four hundred thousand bonds were deposited with the Bank, so that on<* hundred thousand had already disappeared. By 16th June 1920, the bank had paid over all bonds to Bottomley and they were never returned. Eventually the bonds were paid into the credit at Lyonnais Bank, as security for an overdraft on Bottomley’s private account. The pledging and redeeming continued until the e nd of February 1021, when the credit at Lyonnais ceased to hold any bonds, which from that date were lost to the subscribers. Throughout there had been no trustees. Bottomley dealt with this enormous sum without check. As ehrly as August 11th. 1919 Bottomley 1 drew twenty-five thousand, of which twenty thousand belonged to a. Northern territory syndicate, nominally intended to develop North Australia, but really a mere name .enabling Bottomley to keep another banking account. The other five thousand pounds were paid to Bottomley in notes. He used to take a holiday at Ostend. where he had stud racehorses. Bottomley—“Rubbish.”

The Magistrate—“ Don’t interrupt.” Humphreys—“l have it in Bottomley’s handwriting, as he bad to make a declaration under the D.O.R.A. (Defence of Realm Act) before being able to take moniey abroad. The rest of the £25,000 was used to purchase the newspaper “National News” and buy shares in “John Bull” or was handed over to other of Bottom ley’s concerns.

The case waR adjourned to 16th .March.