DETECTIVES RUSE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 117, 15 May 1909, Page 3

DETECTIVES RUSE.

ACTS AS PARCELS CLERK

Mr W. Groom, of the Excelsior Boys' Home, Brighton, lias a so?i, employed at the Trustees, Executors and Agency Company, 412, Collins Street (says'the Melbourne Argue). Lincoln, Stuart and Co. received a telephone message a few days ago purporting to come from Mr Groom, junr. The voice at the other end of the wire reeled ;oif an £8 order. It asked for an overcoat, a hat, boots, woollen underwear, and' other aids to the make-up of a complete gentleman, and the employee who received the message, not having any unnecessary trust in the world at large, took the order to the manager, Who also was far from satisfied at the idea of sending £8 worth of goods ordered by telephone to ; the Spencer Street Sarcels office, and first rangl up Mr; room, senr. (who said that he did not "think his son was wanting clothing ,at present), and then the Detective office. Detectives Coonan and Lonsdale were1 told off to capture the owner of the vj)ice at. the telephone. They made up a dummy parcel, and affixed a Lincoln Stuart label. The parcel contained rags^ but it looked very nice outside., They took it down to the Spencer Street parcels office, and Detective Coonan, at the time the voice had asked that the parcel should be sent, put on a porter's cap and brass-buttoned coat and went behind the counter. .. Detective Lonsdale stood a little way off. After a while a young man.\ lounged :up to the counter and asked whether there wasn't a parcel addressed to him. "Is this it, sir?" asked Detective Coonan. "That's it," he replied. Now came Detective Lonsdale's turn. "Say," he asked, coming to the counter, "have you got a parcel for me?" He glanced at the parcel oh the counter. "Why, that's it," he exclaimed, taking hold of one end. The young man took hold of the other. "It isn't yours; it's mine," he said. "I tell you,, it's mine," declared the detective. "If it's yours, what's in it?" The young man fell' into the trap. "A pair of boots, an overcoat, a hat, and some underclothing," he said hotly. "Ah/ replied Detective Lqnsdale sadly, shaking his head, "it's mine all right, and you're mine too. I'm Detective Lonsdale."