WANTED IN TEXAS

Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1929, Page 3

WANTED IN TEXAS

- CASE- OF JOHN GREY ' BAIL OF £6OOO GRANTED. - OPPOSED BY THE CROWN. Alleged to be the man sought by the Texas police for the last 13 years, on a charge of forgery involving a suni of £50,000, John Grey, land agent, of Helensville,: who was arrested in' that / - town a week ago under the name of A. • ; B. Crouch, alias.J. M. Cameron,'was at Auckland on. Wednesday, gfaiited bail in the suta of £6OOO. . . _ j /- . When accused appeared at the' Po.liea . Court last Wednesday, the.day after his ■ arrdst at .Helensville; by -Detective’ Ser*// gearit Dovle, Detective Hunt and John R. / •Bigham, -Sheriff of Bell County, Texas, ; ; he ' was remanded until ; • Wednesday; /moriiiiig/Mr!. F. ■K. /Hunt, '■S.'M., ■ ref using ‘ :th allow’.Uil. ’. ■.' At. the Police Court, ibeforo .Mr.; F» K.JHunt, Mr. V. R. Meredith, Crown// Prosecutor,-appeared for the Mr. ■ G. -P; Finiay’ representing-accused? . , Mr. Finlay inade ah eloquent / plea /, when he asked that bail be allowed his, client, “Now/Hiat the furore has; died ; . •down, is there a possibility of this inari . being allowed bail and his liberty,” said, counsel. “Even assuming he-is the man, tlie facts are eloquent in -his: favour. Ho is a definite -fixture in Helensville, where he has 'resided for -tlie ? piist 7 :l2."?years. Accused' has considerable property, '• and has a reputation for being jeliable,; hon< ost, while his probity/is an'example. J have here a petition'from a number; of -■substantial" -residents, of ' Helensville. ■while- .there - are.-' in .the ■ .courtroom /at present ? representatives of /the/ Heat Estate Association whq - wilLsa,y, that my client is a man of unqxiestidnhblC in- ? tegrity. ./ ■ ■ ■; ■' .’■• ■ . ( “Now, sir,” continued Mr. Finlay. “In this case we are not -expected to . ■ more than we would do with‘one.-of btir own citizens. I don’t -want to see this ■ man victimised. If he f /were . arrested . for forgery on one of our own domestic warrants, lie would, in the natural course,'be entitled to bail." ; . / / . Mr/ :Finlay, referrew .to what- he .. described as “the flamboyant publicity",..;, which accused had got in ‘the news/ ■ papers, and said, “If there is any fear that he might get away, it' is reduced to a minimum, for I venture to say that so - much publicity he has got by stories and photographs that; every, man, woman and child knows him well.' If he is allowed bail he can be ordered'to report himself daily, to the police. 'The - police force is quite capable of keeping an eye on him. In making this ap« plieatiqn for bail, I do so in all sincer*. ity, because it is backed by a considerable measure of public opinion. .It is absolutely essential, in the interests of • justice that we should have access to accused at all times,' I therefore 'ask ’ for his liberty even if he has to be watched from day to day and no matter what security is fixed.” .BAIL OPPOSED. Mr. Meredith, after asking that accused, be remanded until October 9, said he .wquld pppoSe the granting of . bail. He had listened to what Mr. Finlay had said. “It is quite true that this man has acquired a reputation in Helensville," he said, “but I would like to point out that in America some' years'' ago he was an ardent supporter of his Church, so it is not surprising that he should earn the same reputation here. This is not an ordinary case of a man arrested on a forgery charge—Crouch is under arrest under the Fugitives Offenders' Act for an offence which it is alleged was committed in a foreign country.” Mr. Meredith said Crouch was identified 13 years ago, but he was not ap« . pretended. The world was very -wide, and that Crouch had accumulated pro-. perty and money, the opportunity of getting away presented; itself. Counsel pointed out that the practice hi . extradition cases was not*to grant bail. In. support# of this Mr. Meredith referred to a well-known case on the point. “Bail,” said , Mr. Meredith, “is a discretion that is carefully and cautiously I used.” .■; ,'.•.■■ • ■■._ '; • I Mr. Hunt: We have an, obligation to J a foreign country. A t-rcaty is involved,. Mr. Finlay: No more than to a man of our own country, sir. /• ' : ' Mr. Meredith: The circumstances indicate that this is a case where the great-, est of care has to .be exercised. No difficulties; must be placed in the way, There is an obligation under the Fugitives Offenders Act, but it does not go to the extent of doing an injustice— Mr. Finlay: My friend is trying to stampede this case from its ordinary position. There. is not the slightest* chance of accused going away. There are well-known citizens of Helensville here to' go bail for him. He lives next door to the police constable. /Then, again, he has so many interests hero that it would not pay him to go away. All he has got has been obtained by the sweat of his brow. Ho has much biisi- . ness to transact, and his whole business will surely fail if he is to bo further incarcerated for any definite period. ?•. Mr: Hunt: When are the papers, arriving from Texas?. " Mr. Finlay: They arc supposed to ar- / rive here on October 7, but we know what that might mean. They may liot ■/ reach here for weeks/and weeks. Mr. Hunt: After all, this .man has been in our. midst for twelve years, and his fellow colonists are prepared to*bail him. Under tho circumstances I think he is justified in being allowed bail. He wall be remanded until October 9, bail £3OOO in his own surety and three other sureties each of £lOOO. He will also report to the police at Helensville daily at 7.30 p.m. For some time. after bail- had been granted, Grey waited in the prisoners* room until his solicitor arranged the bail bonds. While there he conversed . Avith a number of Helensville friends who came to Auckland to greet him. Accused was bailed by Mr. Arthur : John Skelton; nurseryman, Charles , Staniland West, sawmiller, and Harold. Phillip McLeod, farmer, all of Helensville, each for £lOOO. .