CONFIDENCE TRICKSTER

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 244, 9 July 1921, Page 3

CONFIDENCE TRICKSTER

CRUEL MONEY-CHANGING FRAUDS ON EMIGRANTS. Known by many aliases. David Leard Aitkin, thirty-five, stated to be a utire of Edinburgh, was charged at the Westminster Police Court, before Mr 1-pan-els with stealing by means of the confidence trick from a Scottish miner who sailed for Cape Town. . "There ar§ nearly a hundred cases in all against this man," said Detective Sergeant Lynch, "and when we caught him after five weeks’ special observatio outside the former office of tho High Commissioner for South Africa, in Victoria Street, all ’he said was: It *- bard luck on me this time. I came once too ° £ 'riie prosecutor, who gave evidence on the mXningf of his depa’-turo boat from Tilbury had deposed that, travelled all night from Kilnuirnock he was accosted as he was writing fa Xtcards at St. Pancras Station by the prisoner, who professed to be a emigrant who could do him a good turn by changing his Scotch, banknotes on advantageous terms at the offices of the High B Commissioner for South Africa. Th! witness entrusted prisoner w ith his paper money and accompanied him to Victoria Street, awaiting his return at the entry of a large building, which he stated was the Commissioner s office. h Seigeant Lynch eaid the building was one with several entrances and exits, thfmany victims of the pnsmmr had discovered to their co»t. 1 rrual nnor loft- tho prosecutor he was 03 “.rX ’<» r"’Ss.x oushfare, and was seized by Kant. Martin, who was watching have been sent for trial the 1 to would doubtless have got a rar letelenience than was in which was six months hard la