NIPPED IN THE BUD.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10940, 16 April 1901, Page 2

NIPPED IN THE BUD.

STOPPING A SERIOUS SWINDLE. (press association telegbam.) WELLINGTON, April 15. j At the Magistrate's Court to-day a case was brought against Chas. Lister, charged ■with having obtained a cheque for £25 from Fredk. (FaSbian by false pretences. Accused, who represented himself to be the sole agent for a firm of New York merchants, advertised for a bookkeeper. Fabian replied to the advertisement, and was told the firm would require £50 security, before being engaged. Fabian agreed to pay £25 down, and gave a cheque for that amount, undertaking to pay the balance in a week or two. In court accused pleaded "Guilty" to receiving money' by false pretences, but with no intention to defraud. He explained this qualified admission by stating that he had adopted his methods in expectation of receiving money from bis father at Home, intending to drop the name of the firm when he received funds, and continue in the same business himself. He was committed to the Supreme Court for ; sentence. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) WELLINGTON, April 15. Originality was not the most striking feature of the scheme whereby Charles Lister sought to "raise the wind" by taking advantage of an unsuspecting public. Charles Lister, it must first be explained, is an individual who, so far as has been ascertained, was unknown in this part of the world until about a month ago. This morning, however, he occupied a position in the prisoner's dock at the Wellington Magistrate's Court, and the charge against him was one of having obtained the sum of £25 from a local man by means of false pretences. It is just, over three weeks since Lister —a man of excellent address and exceptionally well-attired—-called at the "Evening Post" office and inserted an advertisement which set forth that "New York" (to whom answers were to be addressed) required a very commodious warehouse with offices, etc., which, if approved, were to be leased for five yeaTS. To this there were several replies, the outcome of which was that the premises owned by Messrs Crease and Co., in Old Customhouse street, were leased by the advertiser for five years at a rental of £140 per annum—conditionally, however, on certain repairs and painting and papering being put. in hand immediately. Improvements were to be effected, aud everything made thoroughly up-to-date and convenient, and, accordingly, workmen were at once engaged to carry out the work of preparing the store and offices. Among other things done, the name of the firm for which Listar purported to be the Australasian representative, was painted on the window. This firm was that of Thurber, Wyland, and Co., Washington square, New York, wholesale and export grocers, provision merchants, corn, and produce importers." The firm, it is understood, is genuine enough, but as to Lister's - connection with it—well, that is another matter. Acording to his account, the firm, which did a huge business—in fact, dealt in millions, not in thousands— had been struck with the great possibilities of establishing a large connection with New Zealand, and so had despatched him to move in that direction. Having secured premises, the "agent's" next move was to obtain from a. local establishment (Lankshear's) a large supply of office stationery, printing, etc.—£lo worth required immediately. Next, Messrs Flockton were favoured with an order, based on similar representations, for office fittings, and furniture. These included a fine carpet and handsome writing desk.for his own, room, and desks, stools, and general material for the large public office which was to accommodate six clerks and accountants. As he himsslf has since explained, some elaborate fittings were neces- ■ sarv to impress caller!—"to inspire confidence, as it were, and the elaborate orders

mad. it superfluous for the dealers to ask f.r cash.

She offices being ready, a "staff" was re?r.d to man them. So the ''agent" ior nrb-r, Wyland, and Co. went once more the "Post." and under the name of merican" inserted an advertisement for rks, while the morning paper received advertisement, under the name "New rk" applying for three travellers. :rks and travellers were each required produce references, while financial se_tv—a kind of fidelity bond—was required, was from this fidelity bond that all the 1 -was to corner—for "Mr Lister. Each the .newspapers contained the advertise_ts mentioned for three days, and in it time eighty replies -were received, c stationery, with appropriate headings ing available, the "agent" commenced to lise it, and answered" those replies which ake of good and ample security being aikble. He arranged for the applicants call upon him at "the firm's warehouse," iking about six appointments for each y, axti fixing the hours so that there >uld bp no clashing. He further warned ndidates far positions that if they did rt call at the hour appointed he would nsider the whole matter cancelled. In ■c days he had interviewed about forty apicants, and of these he had engaged only i. clerk at £3 5s per week. This man as to pay £50 as security and as to start work th. following w.ek. He ive his "employer" a cheque for £25, as irt of the required security, and was to iv the balance when he entered on his new lties. But on the second day after the inTview, ths cleik. met a friend who was so shaking hands with himself at having ioeived the promise of a position on the erical staff of Thurber, Wyland, and Co.'s iVilmgton agency. After a lengrhv conization with him Clerk No. 1 b?gan to ■ar that the "firm" had got his £25, while nother man. who was going then to get :25 to put down as security, was to get le billet he (No. 1) had been promised and id paid for. He, however, did not express his ; ars to 'bis fmnd, but hastened off to i. "firm's" warehouse, only to iind about a zen applicants in waiting, and one in with is "manager." Wearying of waiting he lought he would make some enquiries eoncrning the advertiser, but those he spoke . assorted that the man was doubtless c. nine. Not yet satisfied as to the safety of his 125, h. s_ue.it the advice of Detective __on, who did not let the grass grow under is feet, acd went to the warehouse as liough h. himself were an applicant. V'hik waiting, he got in conversation with man who had b.en engaged as traveller nd who was going to deposit £500 as seurity. Th 3 "agent" had pointed out that s the firm's dealings would be on a huge dale, and travellers would have the handing of valuable goods as well as money aid, some se.u-.ity was absolutely necessary. _t length cam.3 Detective turn, and or upwards of an hour and a half he was .aving the position explained to him as it iad been to others. . One of the things fixon observed was that the jewellery the lan wore was "Bnvnmy"—worth a few hillings at most. At the end of that time he suddenly disiosed his real identity, and asked to see ,ister's credentials, power of attorney, etc. jister, however, was not going to "ive in rithout a fight, and the detective—comparaively a young man and one who has done k lot of smart work—was equally deternined to probe the matter to the bottom. If the man was genuine he had nothing to 'ear—if not, the officer knew his duty, md so the game resolved itself into one if bluff. The outcome was that Lister was

requested to accompany the detective to the police station. There Lister was again given every opportunity, and was asked if he could produce anything, or obtain a reputable citizen to vouch for his bona fides. At length by sheer p&rsistence he was induced to produce several letters, and after inspecting them tthie detective did not hesitate to pronounce thtm shams. To this the

man made no reply. Previously he had produced his purse, whcoh was. well filled with sovereigns, but this, instead of being in his rather told against him, for Nixon wished to know why, if he had so much cash, ho had that day sought to get cashed the cheque for £25 which had been given Mm. The detective had ascertained j that. Lister had gone to a local cycle shop, and, being unable to get change of the cheque, offered to purchase a second-hand -machine, and take the balance in cash, finally the suspected agont was lodged in the police cell, charged with obtaining £25 i by false pretences. ' Next day Detectives Nixon and Neill searched Lister's office, and there found 130 applications from all parts of the Wellington a_d Napier districts, and from Christchurch. One f;om the latter place contained an offer to deposit £1000 if the transaction was carried out through the banker of tho applicant—a local business man. Seeing that the "game" was up, the prisoner made a complete breast oi the whole affair, but, as already mentioned, though lie was not. what lie represented himself to be i and had no connection whatever with the I firm, the latter itself is actually in existence, and no doubt knows nothing of the use which has been made of its name. Charles Lister —as he has given liis name—was la-st in iMiiboume, and it is not long since he came from England.