The New York herald., 1922-05-30
BOTTOMLEY GUILTY,
SENTENCE 7 YEARS
Convicted of Diverting Club
Funds From Poor
Investors.
PUBLISHER WILL APPEAL
Judge Notifies Speaker and
House Declares Membership
Forfeited.

Special Gable to THE New roEk HERALD.
Copyright. I92e, by THE NEW York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau
London. May 90
/ Horatio w. Bottomioy, former pub
Usher of John BMl and member for
South Hackney in the House of Com
mons, who in his paper was bitterly
nti-American. was convicted to-day on
twenty-three of twenty-four counts of
an indictment charging diversion of the
funds of the Victory Bond and otheg
clubs. and sentenced to seven years
penal servit>ide The jury was out less
than half an hour Mr.. Bottomley. who
conducted his own defense, declared he
would appeal.
On hearing the verdict Bottomley
flushed crimson with anger Controlling
himself by the greatest effort he said
to the Judge: II was under the impress
sion that it was sometimes put to an
accused person, Have you anything to
say before sentence is passed upon
your"
The judge replied at is not custom
airy in cases of misdemeanor"
Bottomley retorted: Had It been so,
my Lord, l should have had something
rather offensive TO say about your sum
ming up"
The House of Commons must pass on
Bottomleys retaining his seat
The large and excited crowd outside
Old Bailey had to be dispersed by the
police after Bottomley was driven to
prison. The verdict created a sensation
as his bitterest foes did not expect such
severe sentence. 1t was the one topic
on the streets down town, where groups
gathered and discussed it animatedly..
Tor II is generally accepted that Bottom
ley, Tor many years constantly in the
public eye, has fallen hard. Since he
unsuccessfully attempted to prosecute
A. Bigland. NJ. r.. on charge of libel
for outspoken criticism of his methods
ne has been besieged on all quarters
One Of the widest known members of
Parliament and as a publisher and cham
pion of the lower classes. two years ago
he was particularly criticized by Eng
lishmen for his violent attacks upon
America.
In summing up the judge said to the
jurors The defendant might well hope
TO repay the money he took, but that is
neither here nor there. There is no err
rand boy who steals a shilling from a
tim but hopes by some lucky chance to
replace it,
There was great excitement in the
court when the jury retired after the
summing up. Bottomley, who was in
the dock, where he conducted his case
from the solicitors table. walked out
accompanied by two warders
When the excitement after the verdict
had subsided Justice Setter said "You
have been rightly convicted by the jury
OF this long series of heartless frauds.
These poor people trusted you. and yol,
robbed them OF 1880 in ten months
The crime is aggravated hy your high
position. by the NUMBER and the poverty
of your victims and by the trust which
they reposed in you. 1t is aggravated
by the magnitude of your frauds by the
callous effrontery with which your fraud
was committed. l can see no mitigation
whatever. The sentence of the co:Ir.
upon you is that YOU be kept in penal
servitude for seven years"
Bottomley was charged with fraudu-
lently converting funds of the Victory
Bond Club. war time organization OF
which he was the founder and president.
When placed on trial he was specifically
accused of misappropriating $4,000. but
the prosecution alleged that of $4,000
he was declared to have handled on!!
$4,000 could be accounted for