WANTED-IN TEXAS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 122, 19 November 1929, Page 10

WANTED-IN TEXAS

"JOHN GREY" SAILS

POSES FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

(By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day John Grey, ■ the Helensville land agent, who was extradited on a charge that he is identical with A. B. Crouch, wanted in Texas on a charge of falsifying certain waybills for the shipment oi gram and defrauding the banks of £40,000 : left for America by the Aorang! to-day, in charge of the Texas sheriff, Mr. Bighain. He was accompanied by his wife and family, who endeavoured to prevent the photographers from getting a shot. Grey had a happy smile on his face' and stopped on the way up the gangway so that the camera battery could operate. On reaching the deck he affectionately kissed his wife and daughter, and allowed the whole group to pose for a photograph. After speaking brightly to his children and a few friends, Grey went to a special cabin under escort.

"Good-bye," said Grey to a "Star" representative just before the- Aorangi sailed. "We had a very fine trip on one occasion. I have often seen you in Auckland during the last few years, but of course I couldn't recognise you as that part of my life was a blank:" Grey was referring t0'1916, when he was a passenger from New Zealand to Panama on the Rotorua, and\ was known as J. U. Cameron. There were two Auckland pressmen among the passengers. It was a pleasant trip across the Pacific and Grey (then wearing whiskers) joined in all the deck games. He was a popular figure aboard, and on arrival at Colon gave a. dinner to a number of passengers. A few years ago one of the pressmen met Grey in an Auckland hotel, and, walking up to him, said genially, "Hello, Cam." The only response was a stony stare.

It was with a chuckle that the sheriff mentioned that a photograph of A. B. Crouch, supplied by the Texas authorities, had for years hung on the bank wall at Helensville with a full description of the wanted man. Up to the time of Grey's arrest there had been'no suggestion iy Helensville- that Grey was in any way connected with the photograph. ' •

Mr. Bigliam stated that a reward of £200 was yesterday paid into the Bank of Australasia, Auckland, and would go to a private inquiry agent living at New Lynn. An arrangement had been made that it should not be paid over until Grey was placed aboard the vessel bound for an American port..