EVADING PAYMENT

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 147, 18 March 1931, Page 10

EVADING PAYMENT

Cunning Customer PEPPER-POT USED With plausible ways, an exhaustive knowledge of the turf, and a fondness for writing, a certain customer at a restaurant in the eity on .Sunday and Monday will not be forgotten by the proprietor for some time to come. “I _ could pick him out of a thousand,” said the proprietor last evening, “and if I can find him there’ll be something doing.” He saw the customer for the first time on Sunday at 11.45 p.m., when a man walked into the shop and took a seat at a table near, a partition dividing the tea-room from the shop itself. The man was supplied with refreshment, and began to write at the table. He explained to the proprietor that he was waiting for a man whom he was to meet at the shop at 11.55 p.m. Suspicion Aronnded. Time dragged on, and eventually another customer, “rather eccentric,” took a seat at the same table. The newcomer said to the other, “You’re a reporter, I suppose?” “Oh, yes,” he replied, “I’m on one of the papers,” The proprietor admitted last, evening that even at the time he was a little suspicious. The first man stayed on until 12.45 a.m., and when it came to settling up he was afraid that “a half-crown had gone astray.” The proprietor let him go aftei receiving an assurance that he would return next day and pay for what he had had. The man did not return until 11.45 p.m. on Monday, when he sat at the same table and gave the same order. The proprietor took it for granted that the man now had the money to pay for what he was having as well as what he owed. He talked exhaustively to the proprietor on turf topics, quoting weights and results with ease and fluency, and giving the proprietor a tip which happened to come off yesterday. He dallied on as on . the previous occasion, and came out into the shop at 2.15 a.m., saying that “the boys had a bit of a party on and wanted some sweets.” He was supplied witli a bag of caramels, and then asked the proprietor—“so that the boys would know how he spent the money”—to make out a docket. . Just in Tune.

The proprietor leant down on the counter and was writing the tally when he noticed the man’s right arm come up like lightning, and the glint of light on an aluminium pepper pot. The proprietor turned his head just in tune,, and got the pepper on the side of his. tace, but he was in a good position to qim a blow at the customer, which connected and knocked the man’s hat off. He could not get past the counter quickly enough to prevent the man turning down a comer, and he had to let the man get away. Five minutes later he made a statement to the police. His hope now is that he will find the man before the police get in touch with him. “I’ll hand over what’s left,” he said.