HOARD OF A RECLUSE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21470, 19 April 1933, Page 12

HOARD OF A RECLUSE

£BO,OOO FOR CHARITIES MONTREAL BANK INVOLVED LONDON, April 11 As the result of a decision of the High Court, 16 metropolitan charitable institutions will share the £BO,OOO estate of the late Mr. John Drinan, a recluse, who lived 011 the Riviera on £T a week, though he had an income of £13,000 a year. Mr. Drinan's affairs came before the Courts in 1931, when what purported to be a transfer by him of £90,000 worth of shares to an adventurer named Haiat was declared to be a forgery. The swindle had been attempted with the aid of Charles Beale, a former British Consular official at Nice, who had figured as witnessing the signatures of Haiat —killed in the meantime in an accident —and of Mr. Drinan. The Bank of Montreal has been held liable to pay the Public Trustee damages to compensate for the expenses incurred in investigating tho forgery. The bank also is liable for tho depreciation of £36,000 worth of stock which Mr. Drinan left. Tho Court considered that the bank had been negligent in investigating tho forged signatures.