SWINDLERS AND A WALLET

Evening Star, Issue 21725, 21 May 1934, Page 7

SWINDLERS AND A WALLET

MAH LOSES £19,000 An English - visitor to Paris recently fell a victim to 11 new variation of a confidence trick, which cost him £IO,OOO. He is Mr Richard Hansard, aged thirty-six, who owns a large farm at Njoro, in Kenya Colony. Mr Hansard was standing at a newspaper- kiosk mi the boulevards, when another Englishman, who gave - his name as Medhurst, spoke to him. The two then wont to a neighbouring, cafe for a driu;:. Medhurst. who had left the table for a moment, hurried back from the cloak room with a wallet, which appeared to contain money and important-looking business documents. An examination of the contents indicated that the wallet was the property of one Thompson, a financier. Medhurst, after having consulted Mr Hansard, decided, to telephone to Thompson, whoso address was in the wallet, to inform him that his pocket- book had boon recovered. He returned from tho telephone with the nows that Thompson was greatly relieved, and was coming round for his property. • 'On' 'Thompson’s arrival the three men had a conversation, during which Thompson had a good deal to say about his extensive financial upera-tions. He. said, that when he had mislaid his pocket book be was about to make a deal which would yield a profit of about 70 per cent. Medhurst immediately asked if," by way, of expressing his thanks, Thompson wouid allow him to participate in the deal. Thompson agreed, and intimated that Mr Hansard could also come in it he wished. Mr Hansard expressed delight, and left »or London, where he arranged for £IO,OOO to be transferred to him in Paris. Three days later Mr Hansard met Thompson and Medhurst by appointment in Pans, and was fold that, £IO,OOO having been invested for him, he could now withdraw his capital, plus a profit of £7,000, from r. certain bank. At the bank, however, a. man who was supposed to complete the transaction, dodined to hand over £7,000 to Mr Hansard, on the ground that lie had not yet received the £IO,OOO representing the inyestment. Mr Hansard promptly settled this difficulty by drawing, the sum in cash from his own bank and handing it over. < % The supposed agent of the financier s bank then gave Mr Hansard a cheque lor £17,000, drawn on what purported to be an American bank. An arrangement was made that ihc three men should meet ug.iin to celebrate the drawing of then * The meeting never look place, for tho double reason that Mr Hansard., was the only one who kept the appointment, and that the bank on which his cheque was drawn did not exist.