BOTTOMLEY CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 October 1921, Page 5

BOTTOMLEY CASE.

“A COMPLETE MUDDLE.” By Telegraph—Press Association. London, Oct. 21. Mr. Justice Sargeant, who is appointing receivers for the various Bottomley funds, said the whole thing was a complete muddle. No dates had been fixed for repayment of the Victory Bond Club funds, there was no income to pay interest, there had. been callous disregard of the interests of subscribers. Bottomley appeared, to have had the whole income from the fund. He had not exhibited the slightest care in regard to the interests of those who entrusted money to him. No doubt dissatisfied persons, using pressure, got their money back, to the disadvantage of other subscribers. Received Oct. 23, 5.5 p.m. London, Oct. 21. Mr. Justice Sargeant, ordering the appointment of receivers for the Bottomley Clubs, said Bottomley devoted the victory Bond Club scheme for years to gambling and a lottery. Books relating to the clubs had been taken out of the country most improperly, and he intimated that Bottomley was bound to bring within jurisdiction the funds, which might at present be outside jurisdiction.

[The hearing of a sensational criminal libel suit was commenced at Bow Street Court recently, Horatio Bottomley prosecuting Reuben Bigland for selling a libellous pamphlet broadcast in the streets of London, which alleged that “that arch-rogue Bottomley had become the possessor of nearly a million of ; money through his Victory Bond Club.” Sir Ernest Wiki, on behalf of Bottomley, denied the statements in the pamphlet, ana alleged that Bigland for live years had been attempting to extort money, culminating in Bigland’e forcibly entering Bottomley’s flat at Kingston at 7 o’clock in the morning and asking for £6OOOO. Sir Ernest Wild said that the public had subscribed £450,000 to the Victory Bond Club, of which £350,000 had been returned to the public after the Victory bonds fell from £B5 to £75. Of this Bottomley found £35,000 out of his own pocket in order to pay back the subscribers. Bottomley, in the witness box, supported Sir Enre&t Wild’s statements. Horatio Bottomley, M.P., is the editor of John Bull. He founded the Financial Times, and was proprietor of the now defunct newspaper the Sun. He started John Bull, which has attained a very wide circulation. Mr. Bottomley represented South Hackney in the House of Commons from 1996 to 1912, and was re-elected for that constituency in 1918. He has appeared frequently in the law courts, conducting his own cases, and is generally regarded as the best “lay lawyer” in England.]