LAVISH GENEROSITY

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 37, 27 May 1938, Page 4

LAVISH GENEROSITY

LED SOLICITOR TO GAOL

GAVE CLERK FOUR CARS

LONDON, Dec. 9

In his prosperous years Henry Barnard , Snow, 04-year-oJd Southend solicitor, was extravagantly geiierous. Ho entertained lavishly in Ins .£3(300 house at Leigh-on-f Sea. His garden was the show place of tiie nejgiioourlioocl. In business, lie gave bank guarantees for defaulters lie knew only slight-, fly. One clerk owed bini >;£‘Bdo. To another he gave four cars. • V Lean times came. His friends did 'not - desert him. Within, six months he was able to raise loans totalling '£12,185, but it was not enough to save him. from bankruptcy proceed-, iugs, followed) soon afterwards by prosecution.

Yesterday Henry Snow sat in the dock at the Old Bailey, head buried in his hands, while the clerk of the court recited the list of fraud charges to which he pleaded guilty. The list was so long—there were 23 counts —that it took 10 minutes to read them. He had converted to his own use £16,658 of his clients’ money 1 . Father Worked cs His Clerk. ■Mr Justice du Parcq then heard this story of Snow’s fight for recognition as’a young man; of his rise, and ot his fall:— When his father, a solicitor and town clerk of Soutliend-on-Sea, was declared bankrupt, Henry Snow started up on his own account. He had a capital of only £SO. He persevered, .and some success came to him. He was able to take his father into the business, as a clerk. His success increased into prosperity. He became well known and iWpcoted in the town. Then came the tiwatv • ' He served in the Navy. When he returned to Southend, he found his jjtfkdj.ee gone. He started again, built once more. great ally. was his - personality ;• Mr Jolin Maude, who defended him, called/.him a “clubbable man —a man who gained affection.” Prosperous once more, Henry Snow began to neglect his business, He stilljr maintained his standards of hospitality, of generosity. “Despised!” in His Town. His(debts grew. He was Jet down by twctj^milders 1 for £4OOO. Finally he

went - bankrupt- with, a deficiency' of £29,000. ' " 1 “So to-day,” said Mr js • v|-; bankrupt jipd' ruined. He is; ed here at the cost of 4'; has been struck; aijd_\is' dishonoured in" his owj'Hp/pfession. £f6 \ is despised in his to»wH« is bereft of everything exceptthe bitferekt if memories. He goes away to nothing;* : y but a cell. / ' ,/ “While lie has been in Brixton Pris- '■/ on awaiting atrial, lie has had only one/visit, and that was from a woman, and her daughter who could not' forget old times.” Mr Justice du Parcq passed sentence of five years’ penal servitude. But bis comment on the gravity of Snow’s offences was confined to a few' words. “I would add nothing to year unhappiness,’ ’he said.