“HONEST JOHN GREY”

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1930, Page 3

“HONEST JOHN GREY”

TEXAS MAYOR’S PRAISE. “RESPECTED AND HONOURED.” Better known to New Zealanders as “Honest John Grey,” of Helensville, Mr. A. B. Crouch, who returned from America by the Niagara, is highly esteemed in Texas. A letter has been received by the Auckland Sun from Mr. J. B. Ford, Mayor of McGregor,Texas, in which he says many kind things about the Helensville land agent. The letter read as follows:— ‘honourable Sirs,—Of, my own free will and accord, without solicitation or request from any one, I desire to give you briefly my version of the 13 years’ escapade of my good friend A. B. Crouch, who, I understand, is better' known to you as ‘Honest John Grey.’ My views coincide with the opinion of the entire citizenry of this State. “The Crouch family is of Anglo-Ameri-can stock. The forefather of the family landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, December 21, 1620, with the Pilgrim Fathers —according to the family tree. The immediate- forefathers of the family were pioneers in the settlement of Texas, and the Honourable J. M.- Crouch, the father of ‘A.B.,’ has been, since 1852, a resident of this community. He is respected and honoured by all who know him. He is ambitious, distinctly progressive in type, scrupulously honest, exceedingly industrious, and generous to a fault. “A. B. Crouch is of a type similar to. that of his father, but he has, or did have, a bit more of the ‘American gambling spirit’ and ‘dreams of getting rich quick,’ which, by the way, afflict many of us belonging to the younger American generation. He bought too much ‘future grain,’ commonly called ‘chalk marks,’ which is not criminal' in this country, but very, very risky,' and an exceedingly • hazardous business. ‘A.B.’ guessed wrong and lost, and he lost heavily. So much so. that he'- did not feel that he had the nerve to face his friends. It was extremely embarrassing to him. and his family. He ‘edUldj not pay his heavy debts —even though he was very desirous of doing so. He refused to call on ‘dad.’ He was too independent. This may have been’ihdisg cretion —but nothing more. He was sore” ly depressed and discouraged and sought new and greener pastures. Evidently he found them, because he came’ ‘back able to pay his debts and clear his record. He did not have to re-establish his good name, as he had never lost that. If. he. has an enemy here, Ido not know it—Yours very truly, J. B. FORD, . Mayor of McGregor. Texas.