ARREST OF AN ABSCONDER.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2721, 8 December 1881, Page 3

ARREST OF AN ABSCONDER.

The Melbourne Detective department has succeeded in tracing John S. Denny, the defaulting secretary of the Fourth Victorian Building Society, who absconded to America about three years ago, leaving an estimated deficiency in his accounts of between £B,OOO and £9,000. It was a matter of general surprise at the time of Denny’s disappearance, how he succeeded in evading the pursuit of the police, and it was con*

eluded from bis long absence that he had placed himself completely out of the reach of the law. Owing to the fact that the defalcations were of an extensive and audacious character, and that a large number of comparatively poor people were ruined by his act of dishonesty, the society and the police laid themselves out to effect Denny’s arrest at any cost, and early in Sept, last they succeeded in tracing him to California, where he was discovered carrying on business under an assumed name. The necessary depositions and warrants of extradition having been prepared, Constable Toomey, who was stationed at Hawthorn and knew Denny intimately when mayor of that borough, was despatched to America early in Oct. i Denny has for some months past been kept under strict surveillance by the American police, and although no positive intelligence has been received in Melbourne of his arrest, it is understood that he is now in custody, Constable Toomey having had sufficient time to execute his warrant.