SWINDLING EXTRAORDINARY.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 85, 22 October 1877, Page 2

SWINDLING EXTRAORDINARY.

$h& Mafidtestef Gtiafdl&tf s'dys thtb om of ih. «3o^ jte^yffl^fdte'rf stfimdleYs of the- day i§ at pern. "^y'tog- fes dfdffi* tiotis ttlfli gfe'stt Stfc'tfeSs ia §6Mt_ JtassK shire and He' tftfr'kSf tfitlto^ accomphcb3, whicli-no dotfbt dcctt&tits fo'iF the fact that he bas been sble"tO"tfa'if,ry Otf I a carier with impunity,-and witlroutf detect tion. He tfejbices in many aliased fail well-known railway ilames); and r'ejrfScuts himself SS t ie agent of" Brassey au'd! Go," and' Brogden and Son," of (sueeiistreet, Westminster. To these gentleme'rt hehas been* a:- great' ahnoyance, ordering in their respfectivtf names' steam' engines,' trucks Ume, blocks of granite, slabs of marble, &c., all to be fdfwarded to some' railway station near some public works alleged to be in coarse of construction by oue of the above firms. Printed order forms are produced by the fellow, and 1' arc filled up by the manufacturer or his agent, and countersigned in the name of " Brassey and Co." Just before the departure of the train he discovers that his cash had run short, and the uususpecting tradesman, • delighted at having re*" ceived so large an order from so impor-' tant a mercantile firm, hastens to tender a loan of a few pounds. With modesty and great reluctance it is accepted an IOU being given lor the amount, and a promise made to send a cheque lor the sum advanced immediately on arrival " at the ofike.(' A first-class ticket is taken by the fellow at the railway office, and he is seen no more. Tbe orders given are' indue cotose consigned to some distant railway station, after a time to be returned' to the consignor, who has thereby sustained' a heavy loss. Property has been" forwarded in this way to the extent of 2000 tons. The swindler is of ungentle* manly appearance, a native of Salford, • sis feet high; and well acquainted with railway and engineering work-.*-- He is a returned convict. When whe was last tn • > custody he boasted to' the pohde that he had'aiifclfof 3-LI persons; whom he had victimised' ih one year. Some idea may' be formed-of the modus operandi when it is stated thtlt he gave an order one day iv Swansea fora steam engine ani was at' Barnsley the next orderiug machinery,and the following day appeared in Lutton, • Beds, and' gave an order for a quantity of barrels'of Uoman cement.