FERGUSON GANG GIFT

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 November 1934, Page 10

FERGUSON GANG GIFT

MASKED WOMAN’S £5OO. LONDON, October 5. A masked woman, revealed by her card as “Kate O’Brien, the Nark,” called at the offices of the National Trust in Buckingham Palace-gardens late yesterday afternoon. She was shown into the room of Mr Matheson, the secretary, and handed him a Ban kof England note for £5OO in part payment of the purchase and endowment of the Newtown Old Town Hall, Isle of Wight, which “Ferguson’s gang” is presenting to the Trust.

“Kate O’Brien” left without removing her mask or disclosing her identity. The document she handed to Mr Matheson had obviously been concocted with the greatest care, and was covered with “blood” • seals and misspellings. Newtown Old Town Ilall, the object of this secret generosity, is a town hall without a town. Until the Reform Bill of 1832 this ‘rotten borough’ had two though the town had disappeared.

Some time ago the “gang” bought and endowed Slialfdrd Mill, near Guildford, for the Trust. The money then was taken to the office by ihasked members of the gang, “Red Biddy,” and “ ‘Erb, the Smasher.”