AN INGENIOUS SWINDLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 153, 29 June 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

AN INGENIOUS SWINDLE.

At Liverpool Assla«s a ease came before Mr Justice Wills which revealed a novel and ingenious swindling trick. Ludwlg Vie tor Shorts Had Annie Millar were charged with stealing utne sovereigns from an estate agent named Price. The latter wu passing along a Liverpool street when Millar, who was alone, asked him to direct her to a certain part of the city. When she was speaking, to him he observed that she stooped down as though picking up something. Immediately afterwards Short* rushed up, apparently In great agitation, and said he had lost a purse of gold. Price, remembering that the woman had stooped down, asked her If she had found the pnrsc, and she produced one, which, however, Shorta said was not hia. Price was then asked If he had not got It, and was induced to show an envelope containing fourteen sovereigns and some silver. With what counsel for the prosecution described as swe*t simplicity, Price allowed the male prisoner to examine the coins one by one, tad then return the envelope to his pocket and walked away. It was afterwards found that nine "Kruger sovereigns," which can be bought for a penny each, had been substituted for nine genuine ones, and that the two prisoners, Instead of being strangers as they pretended to be, were living together. Mr Justice Wills said he thought ho bad heard of all the forma by which simple people could be cozened out of their money In the street*, but certainly this was a new and very ingenious departure. Shortz was sentenced 'to six months' imprisonment, and the female prisoner to four

months.