ABSTRACT
While Hatry’s long sentence was an undoubted challenge for him personally, it was also a challenge for the prison authorities. They were afraid that Hatry would somehow continue his business activities from prison and were determined to stop him.
Hatry was able to maintain contact with is previous associates. The collapse of his companies led to a wave of litigation for which his assistance was frequently sought, often requiring him to visit lawyers’ officers and courts which proved a welcome respite from prison life. His friends regularly passed stories about him to newspapers so that his name was not forgotten.
For their part, the prison authorities tried to deter Hatry’s business contacts from discussing possible future transactions. In the event, they could not prevent Hatry giving investment advice to his wife, who made substantial profits, but prevented a continuation of his company flotation activities.
In the end, a long campaign for Hatry’s early release was successful. The judge’s harsh words had led to some sympathy for Hatry as recognition grew that he alone was not responsible for the City’s ills. But his release was timed to coincide with legislation that in time would enable the Board of Trade to exclude him from share trading.
