THE "BOTTOMLEY CASE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3306, 26 August 1911, Page 8

THE "BOTTOMLEY CASE.

SOME PLAIN SPEAKING.

"THE CLEVEREST THIEF IN THE EMPIRE.”

During the closing scenes of the notorious C'urtis v„ Bottomley case on , June 30, before the Lord Chief Justice j of England, there was some exception- j ally plain speaking on the part of court- j eel for plaintiff, and of amazing “bluff’ j by the defendant. - j Mr. Ritter said: “It was because Mr ■ Master did not understand that robberies were being perpetrated upon him , that he bought those shares. The poor : old deaf and infirm man was being fool- ■ ed. Bottomley sucked the poor old \ man dry in five months. He got into j the hands of Mr. Hooley, and I now j understand why some of the payments , were in the name of Bottomley and his | nominees, and why others were in name of Hooley and his jiominees. They were conspirators together, and were sharing the plunder. Between 'February 20 and July 3 Mr. Master had lost the bulk of his fortune to this pair—he had lost over £50,000. It had been 6aid that Mr. Master never complained. hut it was strongly in evidence that the old man was not fully aware of what he was doing. I hope the verdict will result'in any inquiry which will put Mr. Bottomley in the dock, and render him liable to a long term of penal servitude.” “Have you any idea of the length of the sentence?” retorted Mr. Bottomley. (Laughter). “Don’t you address me,” replied Mr Ritter, sharply. Continuing, counsel said Mr. Bottomley had had made against him charges of a most serious character —charges which, if proved, would render him liable to punishment by criminal law. The reason why he did not go into the box was that he knew that if he did he would be in a worse mess than he was now. Concluding, counsel referred to Mr. Bottomley as “the cleverest thief in the Empire.”

—“Blackmailing Attorney.’ ’ — Mr. Bottomley added that lie could justify every share sold to Mr Master. “Counsel has gone mad over this case. Mr. Ritter can if he likes go away after his case lias been kicked out of court and frame an indictment against Mr. Hooley and me. It is infamous, and becomes a crime when counsel abuses his position in the way Mr. Ritter has. He has used cheap clap-trap as an advocate, which, when the popular Press get hold of it, will go forth to the- world that on the authority of Mr Ritter, junior counsel, forsooth, Bottomley is the biggest thief in the Empire. There are thousands of people who will attach importance to that and make my life harder to live in the future than in the past. This case ought never to have been brought. I knew Mr. Master. He was one of the rapidly-disappearing school who was a sportsman who played the game. When lie was disappointed it was not his habit to turn round in indulge in abuse and calumny. As Mr Ritter has seen fit to conclude his speech by calling me the cleverest thief in the Empire, I ask you by your verdict to vindicate me from the charge, and brand those responsible, for it as the most notorious blackmailing attorney and most discreditable member of the Bar.” (Some applause, which was suppressed.) The jury’s answer to this outburst was a verdict against Bottomley for £50,000. and the Lord Chief Justice ordered the money to be paid into court within a week. Bottomley appealed against the verdict, which was, however, confirmed. It was subsequently stated that Bottomley had effected a compromise, although prior to this he had announced he would further appeal to the House of Lords.

—“Abused His Gown." — Mr Bottom ley told the jury they had listened very carefully to tlie remarks of a gentleman whom for courtesy’s sake he would refer to as “counsel for the plaintiff.” “ What counsel has done has been to most shamefully abuse the privilege of his gown, branding me as a liar and a perjurer as well as a criminal conspirator. He has also said that if the true facts of this case were known to the authorities he should be sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. Counsel had also paid me the dubious compliment of being the possessor of some develish ingenuity which keeps me from my business transactions outside the pale of the criminal law.” Mr Bottomiy said he hoped the day would soon come when people who brought' such charges should be made to prove them. “I am tired of these eternal blackmailing claims,” lie proceeded, “which are made in the hope that, rather than face publicity and have all sorts of charges made against me, I will pay some fantastic sum of money to the advantage of the people who claim it. I have been rather too willing to go into the witness-box when I was under no legal obligation to do so, and submit myself to counsel, not always of the highest rank, many of whom have a low idea of the responsibilities of their profession, and who have been only too ready to abuse their privilege in such a way that, without that privilege, no honorable or fair-minded man would dare to act. I suppose T have almost lived in the witness-box for the last ten years, and my commercial and private life has been riddled and sifted by counsel of the English Bar of the highest reputation, so that it really is absurd to say that I should run away from the cross-examination of Mr. Ritter, junior counsel instructed by Mr. Harry Dade.”