IS BARRISTER MASQUERADING? In Girl's Clothes ? Wrong Horse Creditors' Views . Plain Smith

NZ Truth, Issue 1187, 30 August 1928, Page 4

IS BARRISTER MASQUERADING?

In Girl's Clothes ?

Wrong Horse

Creditors' Views .

Plain Smith

a- ■■ ■ — ■ — _ tion to escape the responsibility of facing his creditors and explaining the manner m which he had handled their money, it was the simplest matter, to do so, for he had a good, thirty-six hours' start before the warrant was issued for his arrest. The passing- of time, however, re

Police Search ■::■ .For , j Missing Legal Man

His Creditors Are Very Anxious, t Too .

THEORY OF ESCAPE IN FEMALE ATTIRE ' (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Christchurch Representative.) N Another Week has passed without word of John Black Batchelor, the wellknown Christchurch barrister and solicitor, who is Wanted by the police and also by a host of creditors, who have lodged an application to have him declared a bankrupt. The official assignee will examine his books. '

THE pronounced and continued silence on the part of Batchelor, m face of the fact that the detect ive force is conducting, a Dominioni wide search — aided by a detailed description broadcast throughout the country m last week's issue of "N.Z. Truth" — lends weight to ; the opinion that* he has left the country. Batchelor might have a perfectly reasonable explanation of his hurried decision to leave Christchurch and may yet turn up to refute the allegations against him concerning his administration of certain moneys entrusted to his keeping-. But in > view of certain happenings m the Cathedral City during the past week or ten days, it appears very unlikely that the misssing lawyer will return to his usual haunts of his own volition. Batchelor left Christchurch by, the ferry boat on the evening of Tuesday, August 7, and, it is said, conversed on the trip with two police officials who were also travelling to Wellington. On the following day, it is stated,

he called on a friend of his m the police department m Wellington. But from that hour Batchelor seems to have folded his tents like the Arabs and faded into the mists. 9 It is reasonable to assume that had he planned to abscond, he would have had his preparations complete. Not wanting for the necessary ready cash, he could easily have made a hurried departure on, the day of — or the day following — his arrival m Wellington. No inter- Colonial vessels left for Australia at that time, but the Borgestad sailed from Wellington for San Pedro at 3.10 p.m. on Wednesday, August 8, some eight hours following. Batchelor's arrival m the capital city from the south. He was an extremely prominent figure and the fact that apparently nobody has seen him since that day support's the theory that he took advantage of a well-planned departure from New Zealand. If it had been Batchelor's inten-

nEFENDING Lawyer: My client . ' is so ill that I advised him not to come to the court this morning. Prosecuting Lawyer: He was at the races on Saturday! Magistrate: That may be the reason why he is ill! Prosecuting Lawyer: I have a dishonored cheque for <£20. Magistrate: Eh? I suppose that is the result of the races, too?

q : . duces the possibility of Batchelor leaving the country, If he has so far failed to make his getaway, there is another manner m which he could conceal his identity That is by masquerading ' The missing solicitor" is of a tyne who could successfuly pose as a woman Being of short and slender build, it would be comparatively easy for him to-.pass as a member of- the fairer sex. He has the <lu*ck. impetuous gait of a woman and walks with a stoop from the shoulders.' In res P°nse to an advertisement appearirig m the Christchurch dailies, about sixty persons of all walks of life ' creditors °f Batchelor's, met last week to consider their claims against the missin S solicitor, The newspaper representatives were excluded from the meeting, but the !nformation was subsequently supplied that it had been deeded to declare Batchelor a DanKrupt. . Lawyer C..-S.-Thomas. w"as appointed to ac^ on behalf of the creditors and prepare the petition.

This was' lodged'; with, the official assignee at the Supreme Court m Chnstchurch on Thursday last, The decision to hold the meeting m camera was not unanimous, there being; a *ew dissentient voices to the motion' moved by R. B. Ward and put to the meeting by the chairman, Angus Donaldson, The amount of money. involved m 'the alleged ' misappropriations -by Batchelor has been variously stated at from £6000 to £10,000, but it will be at least three weeks before anything approximating the-correct ataount is known „ , ', , i .-,-,". -Batchelor was involved m a considerable amount of property transactions and it is quite possible that a fair proportion of the amount believe.d have been misappropriated is se°U So ' for the next three weeks, at least —or until the official assignee has had time to go into Batchelor's books and documents—the extent of the alleged theft mUSt be PUre cons ectur?--llilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllllilllllllillllllll[lllllllllllllllillllliilll!lilli!lllll!llllll!

DOLICE INSPECTOR: "What was r the name of the people you were staying with?" Defendant: "Smith." , Inspector: "But there'are more than Qne fam;,y of Smiths." Defendant: "Well, W. Smith." «*?*& "But "hat did 'W-' v Defendant: "Well—Bill, if you . want everything." .j • < . ' /