AN OLD SWINDLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 19, 22 January 1915, Page 2

AN OLD SWINDLE.

SHEEP FARMER SHORN. NEW ZEALANDER GETS THE CREDIT. NEW YORK, December 5. A Dakota sheep farmer who was the victim of one of the very oldest of New York swindles, insisted' before he left The Imperial to sail for England that his name must be kept a secret, as he did not want his friends at home to know what happened to him. Two confidence men on Friday got his purse containing more than l.OOOdol, a steamship ticket, and his overcoat. He was able to sail on the St. Paul because he met a friend who cashed his check for l.OOOdol.

The man troni one of the Dakotas arrived here on his way to England, having been summoned thither by the illness of his mother. On his first day here he drifted into a Broadway bar and becarroe engaged in a casual conversation with a short, smooth-faced stranger. Eventually the man from the West told who and what he was and of the voyage he had plannedr "A remarkable coincidence,"-said the short man. "1 have a sheep station in New Zealand, and am on my way to London, and I also am booked on the St. Paul."

The conversation turned to sheep farming, the effect of the American tariff, and the embargo New Zealand was 'evpectr-d to lay on the-export of wool, except to England. The two men went to a theatre and at parting the "New Zealander" invited the Westerner to limoh with him next day at Sherry's. The iicw friends were strolling up Fifth Avenue. They had just crossed Thirtyfifth Street, when a man in front of them dropped a large envelope, and walked on apparently without noticing it. The "New Zealander" sprang forward, picked it up, an«l restored it. The third man was very grateful. FROM SEATTLE ATTORNEY. "I am so glad you picked it up," he sard. "That letter was from my attorneys in e'eattle, and it conveyed .big and pleasunt news. 1 have been engaged in a lawsuit over an inheritance amounting to 51,000,000, and this tells mc I have won. lam so pleased I would really like to do something for you gentlemen." "We are going up to Sherry's, for luncheon. Perhaps you will join us?" suggested the ""New Zealander." "De-lighted. And you must be my guests." The man from the West never had euIjoyed a better meal.. Over his,.. liqueur the man with the million became 'very I mellow. He mentioned an odd c)a,use in his relative's will which directed that he Idevote 550,000 to charitable purpeses."Now that I have- encountered you ■two gentlemen under such pleasant ausI pices." he continued, "an idea has suggested itself. I am going to hand over SIO.OOO of that $50,000 to each of you gentlemen. Of course, I must have some guarantee that you are worthy, reputable and deserving men of business." The ThreTrnret later tn a room in a hotel to djscuss.. the.r,efluir.efl jjrpofs. The Zealander" produced a bank book aand letters which seemed to be a gaurantee. and the Westerner showed that his pocketbook contained more than •JI.OOO and a stearefchip ticket. Drinks were served. That was all the Westerner could recaji when telling the story, except that when he started to leave the room he found he had been robbed .

[The fact that the '"sharper" described himself as a New Zealander, need not be taken literally, as any sheep breeding country would have served his purpose.]