“King of Card-Sharpers”

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 January 1929, Page 9

“King of Card-Sharpers”

SWINDLED THE WORLD Confounded by Conjuror

The charge against Gleeson, of obtaining a meal on credit by false pretences from a restaurant, appeared quite a “come-down,” considering his amazing career. Prisoner boldly tried to carry off the situation by remarking to the magistrate, “By gad, sir, I shall really have to give notice of appeal. Frankly, I am going to be sportsmanlike in this matter. I am going to show that I was in fact intoxicated.” A doctor stated that when Gleeson was arrested I there were no signs that he had been drinking.

*T can prove,” added Gleeson, “that on this day I had 15 double whiskies and 20 bottles of beer, which I carried like a man of the world,” and I could do it again. I submit that this is quite a small matter, and the Court might well dismiss me with the admonition, ‘Go and sin no more.’ ” A detective-sergeant produced information showing that Gleeson had been convicted in New York, and deported from Canada. “WHAT A RECORD!" “What a record!” commented the magistrate, Alder man Sir Alfred Bower, after glancing down thb sheet. “Well,” was Gleeson’s calm retort, “it isn’t for anything very bad, after all. I have suffered for it, and yet here I am, at 44, merry and bright, and managing to keep smiling.” The record showed that prisoner, in the heyday of his career, was a veritable “king of cardsharpers,” who found several countries too hot to contain him.

Like a good many more evildoers, Gleeson, who was born in Lancashire, belonged to a respectable family, and drifted in the wrong direction after receiving a first-class education. He deemed it advisable to leave his country after several convictions had been registered against him for theft and larceny. Gleeson was on his way to

WITH a jaunty air that has always been one of his chief assets, a remarkable character received a sentence of six months’ hard labour at the Guildhall, London. He is Ernest Robert Gleeson, 44, who described himself as a clerk, and gave a false address.

the States when he,realised how easy it was to find victims at cards, and, having been a clever amateur card trick exponent, he decided to turn his skill to advantage. Thenceforth, for about five years, he spent most of his time “working” the liners, until there was not a ship’s company travelling between New York and England that did not know him. REGARDED AS MAN OF WEALTH So clever was Gleeson in swindling operations that for a long time he was unsuspected. Speaking five languages fluently, of good address, and apparently a world-wide traveller, he was looked upon as a man of wealth, who took sea voyages for health reasons. Such was his charm of manner and general plausibility that no complaints were made by othei’ passengers regarding their losses, and Gleeson was careful not to overdo his winnings. He enjoyed immunity until one day a man, well known on the stage and himself something of a conjuror, was fascinated by the amazing -hands of cards which Gleeson held from time to time when there was a big pool. He watched carefully and at length detected his man cheating. Needless to say, Gleeson was warned off that boat. He next figured very successfully i in gambling exploits in various New i York clubs, until he became involved j in a big card-sharping swindle, and i was deported to England as an undesirable alien. For a time Gleeson turned his attention to the Continent, and there he resumed card-sharping manoeuvres, and reaped a rich has*, vest from well-to-do passengers on South African boats. WARNED OFF SHIPS

Eventually the ships’ captains, being unable to prove that Gleeson was actually sharping would not permit him to engage in any game of cards on' board. Again the suspect

had to find other means to live, and this time he resorted to the expedient of entering passengers’ cabins when they were out and stealing their valuables.

Discovery came at length, and Gleeson was put ashore at Rio de Janeiro and warned not to attempt to get aboard any of that company’s vessels again. In a dilemma he called on the British Vice-Consul, and asked for a passage to England. After making inquiries, however, the Vice-Consul refused, whereupon Gleeson produced a revolver and threatened to murder him. In consequence he was deported from Rio. Gleeson became so notorious on Atlantic and other liners that he was warned off every boat, ships* detectives declaring that he was a “King of Cardsharpers,” the cleverest they had seen for years. While “working” liners Gleeson actually travelled with a valet and an expensive wardrobe, and this in itself disarmed suspicion. France was the next place to be closed against Gleeson, who then resorted to less spectacular methods of crime. In Liverpool he made the acquaintance of a pretty barmaid, pretended to be very much in love with her, and gave her some stolen scent. In the end he disappeared with every penny the girl had. For some time Gleeson’s movements had been a mystery, until he turned up at the Guildhall recently.