1940-01-20 — Page 15

THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 20, 1940 REAL LIFE DETECTIVE TRIUMPHS

JABEZ BALFOUR AND LIBERATOR BUILDING

SOCIETY

The solution of a crime is important, but the capture of the criminal is absolutely essential if justice is to be done. There are times, therefore, when the arrest and imprisonment. becomes the supreme thrill in a case. Such a one was the capture of Jabez Balfour by Frank Froest, one of the Scot- ablest detective Inspectors at land Yard.

Jabez Balfour loomed high in the business, social and political world of Great Britain. He organized the Liberator Building Society on a hugh scale. People fought to get the shares. But in the end there was a terrific crash involving a loss of between five and six million pounds.

Bálfour had Balfour fled to the Argentine. Great | inevitable. Britain had no extradition treaty with that country at the time and there was a question whether he could ever be brought back. A Scotland Yard man was sent to Buenos Aires while the diplomats tried to find a way of com- pelling Balfour to return and face the music. He was very rich and red tape is very strong. Nearly two years passed with nothing accomplished.

'GET THAT MAN'

Sir Robert Anderson, head of the Criminal Investigation Department of Scotland Yard, summoned Frank Froest before him.

"You will go out to the Argentine," he said, "und we don't want to see you back until you get your man. Remember, you are not to come back without Balfour. I don't suppose we

-By-

GEORGE BARTON

to

submit to the

Balfour was tried, convicted and sentenced to fourteen years penal ser- vitude. The capture was the most sensational in the history of English crime and the honour for it goes fo Frank Froest, who was not afraid to take his life in his hands in the cause of justice.

£700 JEWEL Witty THEFT WISS

IN EXPRESS

As an express, Its compartments darkened, was roaring through the night from Liverpool to London 4 thief crept into one, of the carlagés, stole a suitcase containing Jewels worth nearly £700, and disappeared Into the blackened corridor.›.

The owner, Mrs. Napler, wife of Major W.E.S. Napier, of Kenfield, Peebles, told. a reporter:

"My suitcase was on a rack. I went to the restaurant car for dinner, and stayed there for some time afterwards reading. I did not notice, on my re- turn in the darkness, that my suit- case had been stolen.

"I knew nothing of my loss until an attendant brought my case. It had of been found open in another part the train.

two

"My jewel case, containing ropes of pearls, valued at approxi. had mately £200 and 300 each, been stolen; also a diamond bracelet, The suitcase appeared to have been opened with a key."

The L.M.S. police and Scotland Yard are making inquiries and a reward of £60 is offered by Messrs. Hart and Co., assessors of Lawrence-lane E.C.

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TO-NIGHT

SATURDAY, 20th JANUARY, 1940

shall see you at the years."

Yard for five

It was a big order with plenty of time to carry it out. When Froest reached the Argentine he found that Balfour had fled a thousand miles away to Salta. In the meantime the diplomats of both countries had agreed that the Government of Salta should hand Balfour over to Froest.

But the detective inspector knew that it would not be as easy as that. He had to deal with a slippery cus- tomer and he prepared himself nc- cordingly. He went to Salta the next day in company with a British vice consul. They played around awhile to get the lay of the land. Finally formal demand was made on the Governor of Salta for the prisoner. Balfour was undisturbed. He had money and friends and was resource- ful. But the Governor at once agreed that the fugitive should be surrender- ed at noon on the following day.

a

Froest thanked him, but he knew what the officials of Salta thought he did not know, and that was the fact that after Balfour was turned over to him there would be no trains out for 24 hours. That would give the fugl- tive ample time for injunctions, writs and other means of legal delay. At noon Balfour was formally turned over to Froest. The detective and the vice consul were heavily armed, The promoter and his friends took it as a big joke. The regular train had left an hour before.

QUITE A BURPRISE

To their consternation, Froest took his prisoner to a special train which he had ordered in advance and which was waiting on a siding. Defying the howling crowd, they put him aboard. He had been handcuffed and was care- fully guarded. Balfour's friend ahead and half way to-

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