CAREER OF FRAUD.

Grey River Argus, 4 February 1927, Page 6

CAREER OF FRAUD.

CLEVER TURF “HEAD.” Bun to earth through the efforts ot the Victorian Trotting and Racing Association, Percy William Davidson, one of Australia’s clverest “heads,” has' gone to gaol for three years. Davidson had advertised for sale In New Zealand papers a three-year-old black filly that could trot a quarter’ o* a mile in Imin 7sec. Two men in New Zealand who knew something about trotters purchased the flyer, and calculated chat all going well the mare would be a world-beater as a five-year old. They forwarded £9O, the purchase money for the trotting crack that was stated to be by Don Pronto, one of Australia’s best trotting sires. Their feelings may be imagined when the steamer landed them a twenty-year-old trotting mare, shoulder shook, and full of ringbone. The victims wrote to the Victoria Trotting and Racing Association authorities and they, at their own expense, brought the two "buyers and the crippled crock to Melbourne. The dastardly deal was traced to Davidson, alias Williams, and his conviction was secured. He was charged with obtaining from Percy Lionel Ford, of Hikurangi, New Zealand, the sum rtf £9O by means of false pretences and sentenced to threo years’ imprisonment. The life story of Davidson, as related by an Australian paper, is an amazing narrative of vice and villany. Now a man of forty-six, he was always immaculately garbed, and was ever a fluent and well-spoken magsman. fn all his schemes he played a lone hand. He had a supreme contempt tor the present generation of Melbourne * 1 guns, ’ ’ whom he frequently referred to as iC bibulous boneheads,' f who worked on the methods of old English spielers who saw the first English Derby run. Born in a New South Wales town, Davidson inherited a fair amount oi capital from his father’s estate. Nevei at any period of his life has he been short of money.

Striking trouble for ringing-in racehorses and trotters early in 1905, Davidson wen to New Zealand, taking two trotters with him. There, later in the same year, he was disqualified for life - a horse be raced as Nature’s Gen■r, email. Davidson was always fond ot .iigh-sounding titles for his ring-tails. His next escapade was to leave New Zealand with the young wife of a farmer. He stuck to her while her money 'lasted, and then sent her home. A well-known disqualified trotter . • a

was advertised some months ago in iSouth Australian papers, and sold to the secretary of a racing club there, who was not made aware of the horse’s disqualification. When it won for the secretary the ban was exposed. The secretary was adjudged guilty of complicity by the racing stewards, and was sent out for life. He also lost his job. In his trouble he wrote to Davidson, whom he knew as Rivers, but that gentleman disappeared for obvious reasons, and would not help him out. flis case is to be shortly reopened, and reinstatement is assured, with the aid of the Victoria Trotting and Racing Association.

Davidson is credited ’with having sold a Shorthorn bull that he advertised as a Melbourne Show winner in New South Wales papers, to a Teniora farmer, who sold it to the local butcher. Many years ago the father of the late Frank Lyallfi of South Gippsland. imported nine Shetland ponies (two stallions and seven mares) from the Orkney Islands. Ten years ago the Shetland stud numbered over 100 D. They were sold as pets for children and sent to all parts of Australia. One morning, after a muster, six were missing. Xpnths afterwards Frank Lail, at the Wangaratta Show, saw one of his ponies in the ring parade. It was one of six Shetland ponies just imported from the Orkneys that had been adveraised for sale in Albury and Wagga papers. All the ponies were .sold in the North-cast and Ki verina districts. Their vendor was a mysterious horse dealer named V ll liams, of George Street, Davidson had two homes, one in Northcote and one in George Street, Fitzrox. Lightnin’ Bill Jones knew all about bees, and boasted that he drove a swarm across the plains in winter ami never lost a single bee. But Lightnin never lied about his bees as Davidson lied about the birds in his George Street aviary. A consignment of prize canaries sent to Tasmania proved to IX dumb . pets. They were sparrows and wild finches painted up for the occasion. Mr J. Harris, of Preston, could not be found when sought on this side by Tasmanian bird fanciers. Some years ago an advertisement appeared in Wellington papers intimating that J. Arthur, care greengrocer’s shop, High street, Northcote, had for sale six pet ravens that had been brought from Mount Lebanon. The Biblical association took the eye of a Wellington Presbyterian minister, who, after a couple of letters, sent £2O for the sacred birds. When they landed thev were good Australian eroWo. Davidson’s illegal sales of disqualified trotters with false pedigrees have put all sorts of muddles into the Australian Trotting Stud Book, but the authorities are glad to have nailed this rascal, however late in the day-