A STRANGER AND HIS CHEQUE

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 258, 29 October 1921, Page 12

A STRANGER AND HIS CHEQUE

NOT KNOWN AT THE BANK. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") „ ( CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. The "Sim" to-night tells the following story: —"A stranger came to Christchurch a week or two ago, and installed liimself at a leading liotcd. His appearance was stylish, and his manner gentlemanly. He was not long in getting into the good graces of local residents, and was taken by a fellow-boarder to play golf at Shirley, and in various ways assisted to pass the time agreeably. His landlord, impressed by the representations that the stranger had been made an honorary member of leading local clubs, readily cashed a cheque purporting to be drawn on an account in the Auckland branch of the bank. Another boarder at the hotel haw occasion to go out of town for a few days, and 011 return found that his clothes had been worn and his personal effects made use of in a decidedly familiar manner during his absence. Worse than that, a valuable diamond scarf-pin was missing. The landlord, on being interrogated, could | throw no light 011 these happenings, and j when the victim observed that the I stranger might know something about the business the suggestion was received with incredulity. However, as a precaution the landlord wired to Auckland about the cheque, and received the disconcerting news that (lie person who I bad drawn it had 110 account to operate upon. This was followed by a visit to the police station. A search warrant was taken out and acted upon, while the stranger was playing golf, and the jewellery was recovered. The subsequent proceedings will engage the attention of the judicial authorities."