HOAXED BY A CRIPPLE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9430, 29 January 1921, Page 2

HOAXED BY A CRIPPLE

X A BOGUS NEWSPAPER. A young man named George* Crosquet, whose extraordiiu.j • r^nloits entitle him to be called " . • ■ , humorist swindlers," has been at.^^.ttl. writes a correspondent from Paris. This clean-shaven, fair man, who operated chiefly among Parisian journalists and music-hall artists, is a curious figure. He is an invalid ahd walks with intelligent, well educated, and possessing an extraordinary talent of persuasion. He wore a shabby coat, but had a sumptuous limousine with a fine chaffeur. Posing as a wealthy man, he introduced himself m literary arid journalistic circles about a year ago, when he announced that he was about to start a new daily paper called " Les Forces Franchises." He filled his temporary offices m a big apartment house with stenographers and secretaries, and began recruiting a staff of journalists. Crocquet made selections among the best men m various' Parisian papers, and, offering them twice the salary they were having, induced many to abandon , their positions. He boasted j that he had at his disposal a large capital, and soon a brilliant staff of well-known writers Jwere duly engaged. The new daily was advertised by posters, but a few days before it was to be produced, and when the journal^ ists went 'to obtain their first month's salary, M. le Directeur had disappeared, and "planted there"— as the French say — his brilliant staff. Nothing more was heard of Crocquet until he reappeared a short time ago, m the. theatrical world . Calling one night at a Paris musichall, and introducing himself /as an invalid of the war, he announced that he was going to give a series of gala performances m Paris suburbs for the benefit of war sufferers. He desired to engage all the best staff of the Parisian music-hall stage. He offered to pay them 3000 and 4000 francs a night. Many artists' gladly accepted, and signed contracts. This enterprising invalids who had. introduced himself to several actors as the "President of the Club of Humorists," gave his first performance m a cinema hall at Aulany-sous-Bien, a few miles from Paris \ The hall was. filled with people, and after the performance, which was a success, invited the artists to supper. As. he then "discovered" that he had "eft his cheque-book at home, he paid hiß staff with slips of paper, on which he wrote the name of " his bank" and "Good for 3000fr or 4000f.," according to the artist. When they called at the bank the artists found, to their astonishment, that the "President of the Club of Humorists" liad no deposit there, and they informed the police.