BATCHELOR ARRESTED

NZ Truth, Issue 1206, 10 January 1929, Page 4

BATCHELOR ARRESTED

Missing Solicitor Found In Melbourne * (From ' ' N.Z. Truth s Special Christchurch. Representative) . v A few months ago. legal circles: in Christchurch were shocked, and a few investors were paralysed, at the ..mysterious disappearance of John Black Batchelor, a solicitor, practising m the Cathedral City. V v.. -„ - „

ONE . of Batchelor's clients issued a ' warrant for his arrest on a charge of having stolen over £SGO, and on this- warrant Batchelor was arrested m Melbourne a few days ago. When taken into custody, Batchelor admitted his identity, and as soon, as an escort arrives' m Melbourne from New Zealand he will be brought back. It is expected that he will reach Christchurch about the end of January. Shortly after his disappearance, the Canterbury Law Society successfully applied to have Batchelor adjudicated a bankrupt. The society guaranteed £100 with which to bring him back to Christchurch if he were found, taking this action m the interests of clients of Society members. * ',-• , . Batchelor will face a charge of the theft of £BGO from Leonard Percival

Voice, and. it is likely that a number of other charges will be preferred, as it is alleged that approximately £4000 was owing .to clients at the time of Batchelor's disappearance. Apparently some efficient work' has been performed, by the. Victorian pojice, as Batchelor had a good si;art before anything could be done to trace him. Owing' to the difficulty m securing a recent photograph, only a mere description was available to those requested to search m Australia for him, and as it was believed that Batchelor was living ..under., a disguise, their task was a difficult one. The auditors and the Official Assignee 'are -still working- on the tangled skein of- Batchelor's estate, and up till the present his actual position is not known. ■'._'./ .