SCULLER’S LOSSES

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 March 1922, Page 7

SCULLER’S LOSSES

BARRY ON POPULARITY. LONDON, January 20. Ernest Barry, tile world’s champion sculler, appeared at Brentford Bankruptcy Court this week to explain the financial misfortunes which resulted in his liabilities being £1730, and his assets only £2B 3s. He attributed his failure to loss on a. public bouse and unsuccessful betting transactions. Replying to Mr Ashton, for the Official Receiver, Barry said lie took up proi’essonial sculling in 1908, and in 1912 won the world's championship. He served in the Army, and in 1919 lost the championship to Felton, the Australian, losing £6OO over that race. He then took the Fox public-house at Twickenham, but from tho first it never paid, and he only kept it going by his successes on horse-racing. Mr Ashton: But you were a popular character, and that should have attracted customers. Barry: Popularity does not last long. Tn 1920, Barry proceeded, in answer to further questions, he went to Australia, his expenses being paid, and he beat Felton, making £lOOO on the trip, but on returning to this country he found things at the Fox very unsatisfactory, a bill of £l2OO having been run up by the brewery company. “I could never understand how that happened,” he added. Air Ashton: But there must have been a big turn-over?

Barry: You must take it you must live very frugally to make a public-house pay. Giving an account of his betting transactions, he said he was induced by his brother and another man to join in a betting business in London in his own name, which, it was thought, would be an attraction to patrons. The business, however, soon failed and big debts were run up. He believed the others used to take money against horses and back them with other firms. He never got a penny’s advantage out of it. His partners had power to sign cheques in his nam®. Mr Ashton: You were held in considerable "respect, and your name associated with the business led people to do business with you. It was not creditable. Barry: I suppose you are right, but I trusted my brother implicitly. Barry said ho lost a lot of money on horse-racing. He sometimes took as much as £5OO in his pocket to a racecourse. Mr Ashton: That was very• dangerous, was it not?

Barry: I should be the last man on earth they would touch. Having stated that ho had. sold warloan stock for £950, Barry said he had repaid borrowed mo’noy and. debts. Mr Ashton, Why did you not pay tho brewery first? Barry: Because I paid my debts to my friends. It was a matter of honour to me. This concluded the proceedings.