THE TRUSTFUL STRANGER

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 32, 15 October 1912, Page 2

THE TRUSTFUL STRANGER

AMAZING CONFIDENCE TRICK NO LIMIT, TO HUMAN CREDENCE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, 7th September. Afte» a fairly quiet period the confidence tricksters have been at their games again, the victim on this occasion being Mr. Oliver Stirling, an American gentleman who has been staying at a quiet hotel ih a street off the Strand. Two swindlers were concerned in _ the. affair. The old story of the deceased rich uncle who had left a legacy for .distribution to charity was worked with great successj the initial bait being a purse containing "jewels for the Pope." Early this week Mr. Stirling met at his hotel a man of engaging manners, who, under the name of Jamesonj was also staying at the hotel, and a friendship rapidly sprang up between them. At "Mr Jameson's" suggestion they decided to visit Shakespeare's, E-gland, and travelled together on the District Railway to Earls Court. Mr. Jameson's knowledge of London geography was necessarily a little imperfect, for they flOon found themselves in Hammersmith. "It seems," he said, "we have come a little too far, but we can have a nice walk here." Not long afterwards the inevitable happened— a passer-by Was careless enough to drop his purse. The American picked it up, informed the stranger of his loss, and landed his property back to him. With expressions of great gratitude the stranger said the contents of the purse were of great value, being nothing more or less than a number of almost priceless jewels which he was going to take to the Pope as a present. In this mercenary age he could scarcely have believed such honesty possible. ' l Mr. Stirling greatly admired the glit.tering string of pearls which was produced, and soon found himself with two' friends instead of one. The new acquaintance, who certainly spoke with a strong Irish accent, introduced himself as "Mr. Murphy." They continued their walk together and Mr. Murphy waxed confidential. It seemed that a rich uncle of his had left him the sum of £5000 to distribute to deserving charities. He did not care much about the job, however, and would gladly give them a few "hundred dollars for ' themselves if they would relieve him of the task. Mr. Stirling, with an American ■ charity in which he Was interested in his mind, consented to distribute the money and so, of course, did "Mr. Jameson." r ■ ■ • *••'•';■ * HIS BANKERS. Mr. Murphy's uncle, however, was rather a particular old gentleman, and had left special instructions that his money was on no account, to gfit into the hands of anyone'who did not possess substantial means of his Mr. Jameson promptly produced ample evidence of his bona fides, while the American referred the stranger to his baakert. "That will be a lot of trouble," «aid Mr. Murphy. "I suppose you have something on you." Mr. Stirling happened to have nothing but travelling cheques, but that difficulty wae coon got over by getting them, cached into cix £10 bank notes at a local bank. An adjournment was made to an hotel in Brook-street, and here the conversation turned on the , subject a* to how far one man could trust another. "Would you put your .pocket-book into my pocket and let me walk out with it," aeked Mr. Murphy of Mr. Jameson. "Oh, certainly/ said Mr. Jameson, and did co with alacrity. "Well, I shall go out with your friend," said Mr. Murphy. After going come distance Mr. Murphy instructed Mr. Stirling to go back and watch" their' acquiantance, adding "Not a cent will he get if he ie looking." Mr. •Jameeon had not stirred from the tar, «nd Mr. Murphy waa overjoyed at having found a man with such implicit trust m him. "Oh, that is nothing,'" modestly remarked Mr. Jameson, when they all three met again. "Anyone would do the same. My friend here would. "Oh, well," retorts Mr. Murphy, "th© proof of the pudding is in the eating. Let u« ccc. Your fnend (Mr. Jameeon) will go out with me this time." , Whereupon the confiding victim placed his pocket-book containing the cix £10 notes in Mr. Murphy'e pocket, and remained in the hotel, while the Irishman and Mr. Jameson comfortably walked away with hie property. The Hammersmith police are now searching for his former friend and the "affluent stranger. Both men al*« described as middle-aged.

The current issue of the Journal ot the Department of Agriculture is a capi tal illustration of the marked improvement whkh has characterised this valuable publication, during the past couple ot yeare under its present editor, Mr. Charles Cuming. It is full of good things for the farmer, in whatever branch of tlie industry he may bo engaged. There is an interesting initial article by Mr V. G. A. Stuckey, M.A. ? on th« "Mendelian Theory of Heredity," which is c* plained in a simple, intelligible manner with the aid of diagrams. Particularly use to agriculturists all over the Dominion will be found the Departmental analysis of sampke of soil covering nearly every large district in both Islands. Farmers in the various localities »re enabled thereby to gain a clear knowledge of what is lacking in the soil of their section and with what to supply the deficiency. Other articles deal with lucerne as a fodder crop, rye-gra*s seed, and the necessity for testing its powei ot germination, inoculating th« gou, th* casein industry as investigated in Europe by Mr. 3. Pedersen,. an officer of the Department, the hemp outlook, with an account of a new method of stripping the fibre, notee on the apiary for the month, on orchards, the farm g»«len and the poultry business. Of unusuai interest^ too, are the tabled reports of the past eeaec-n's Co-operative experiments. Thetr value is quite exceptional ag determining th« requirements of ihe varioua districts. "There is a good deal of gly grofl-gell-ing going on in the district, and people keep it up in spite of the fines inflicted," said Mr. Reid, S.M., at the Masterton Court last week. "Therefore I intend in future to make the fines more severe." «r F °j . Ch n dr ' :! ?'r, hackih ff coughs &t night, Woods' Great Peppermint Cure, H 6d,*Aavt,