A CREDULOUS COLONIAL.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 247, 17 October 1908, Page 3

A CREDULOUS COLONIAL.

(N.Z. Times Special.) LONDON, Sept. 4. "The Australian gentleman can go back to Australia and report himself to a lunatic asylum—he is more fit to be in an asylum than in London." Thus spake Alderman Sir Horatio Davies at the Mansion House Police Court last Wednesday at the conclusion of the trial of an elderly rogue named Simpson charged with being concerned with another man (not_in custody) in stealing from Thomas Brown, in the yard of the Bank of England, £110 in Bank of England notes, by means of the confidence trick. The Alderman's words.were harsh, but truly the prosecutor in the case, an elderly New South Welshman whose appearance denoted his connection with the soil, had proved himself a veritable "Farmer Hayseed." The wiles of the confidence trickster have of course overcome many a man with a reputation for shrewdness, ' but Thomas Brown was duped by means of one of the oldest, commonest and most often exposed tricks of the confidence trickster's repertoire. On Monday Brown has ;just come out of the Australian Joint Stock Bank, King William Street, when a man asked him the way to the Orient Company's shipping office. "Are you going to Australia?" inquired Brown. "Yes," was the an"So am I," observed Brown, ."I'm leaving on Friday." v "Then I'll try to get a berth on the same boat," remarked the man. In this way they' got into conversation and became quite on friendly terms. On Tuesday morning the man called at the prosecutor's lodgings, and subsequently paid for drinks at an hotelWhile they were drinking Simpson came up to them and inquired for the Zoological Gardens. The other man said they were Australians andjdid not know; they were going back on Friday. Thereupon the prisoner said he was very pleased to meet," two Australians, and promptly asked them to "have a wet" with him.'He then unfolded the old,old tale. Simpson said his uncle had died in Australia, and left £180,000 to his father, arid the latter having died, the money fell to him. Under the will there was about £10,000 to be distributed to the poor of Australia, and as he was going to Rome for two years he could not attend to the matter—would the two Australian gentlemen do it for him? Brown said he had no desire to do so, but eventually, Simpson having stated that he would give him and his new friend £100 each for their trouble, agreed to assist in ! the distribution of the £10,000 to Australia's poor. "Of course I shall want you Mfco show me some security,'' observed iSimpson, and thereupon the "friend" |§f parted for his bank and came backjpth. what he represented to be a bundle of bank notes to the value of £250. While the friend was away Simpson asked Brown to write out a document to show that the prisoner had handed the. money over to him. Brown pointed out that he had only £25 on him, but that he had a draft for £90. Simpson said he did not understand drafts,, he I would rather see notes.

Subsequently Brown and hit "friend" went to the city, and cashed the draft for £90 in £5 notes. He had £20* in gold, and his friend, who was outside, suggested that he should change this into Bank of England note's,. This was done, and the "friend" took, possession of the whole £110 worth'of notes. They went to an hotel in Oxford Circus, and after, "having .a drink," the friend observed, "You stop here. I have a lot more money in the bank—the more money we can show the more confidence he will have in us."

So the friend departed, but as he failed to return for a long time, Brown became uneasy and finally betook himself to the police station and unfolded his tale. The police, of course, speedily enlightened the Australian as to the character of his two acquaintances. Then Brown proceeded to hunt for the "friend," and in Tottenham Court Road, ran across Simpson whom he promptly collared.. Simpson trieu to get away, but Brown got him firmly by the neck, brought him down and held him there till a policeman came upon the scene and took charge of the swindler. Simpson .pleaded guilty and would have been sent for trial had not prosecutor desired to depart for Australia to-day. That being the case Alderman Davies gave Simpson six months' hard labour, and ordered £25 in Bank of England notes found on the prisoner .and admitted by him to be part of the proceeds of the theft, to be given to the prosecutor, whose adventure the Magistrate described as the "most foolish thing I ever heard of."'