STORY OF A FLAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11986, 7 June 1902, Page 2 (Supplement)

STORY OF A FLAT.

fOSTLY GAMES IN SUMPTUOUS - CHAMBERS. ~" f AILFGED TRAP FOR RICH YOUNG .'--■■-- MEN. '" | Fotm fashionably-dressed ; young men, named D'Arcy Middleton, of Buckingham Gate- Charles Forrester, of the same ad] dress'- Edward Lovelock, Jermyn-street,H and John Castles, York-street, St. James' were charged at the Westminster Policj Court on April 16 with being concerned id keeping and using*a flat at St. James'l street, Buckingham Gate, for the purpose of unlawful gaming. J Mr Muskett, who prosecuted on behalf of the "Commissioner of Police, said thai —not to mince matters— defendants were accused of robbing young gentlemeri of large sums by card-sharping. The pre raises to which these young gentlemen werj taken were most elegantly and luxuriously furnished. The police had received man] complaints, and had secured the attendant of a gentleman who lost £66 at one sittmi and.£22B at another. I The first witness called was Inspects Fuller, of Scotland Yard, who raided flat on the" second floor at 36, St. . Jame - street Mansions, at. half-past one in te morning. There were five magnificent furnished rooms, including a ping-pok room, a billiard-room, and ft bedroo.. All the defendants were at supper in tie dining-room, Castles and Lovelock being n evening dress. When the warrant was read over, sad the inspector, Middleton, the tenant of tte flat, laughed and said, "That's funnd He also told the others to " leave the tall ing to him." The detective seized a lara number of documents and packs of cards! Mr. Emil Waechter, of Langham-streel Portland Place, was then called, and sal that on the last Sunday in February k was dining at the Carlton Hotel, and inae the acquaintance of Lovelock, who said tit he was a "retired sheep merchant fin Australia." At Lovelock's invitation r. Waechter went to St. James'-street Visions, where he found the other three efendants. "We played ping-pong on a beaut d table for about half an hour," contind the witness, "and had music on a e electric piano. We then had tea, . i afterwards a. little game of cards was sgested. I said I only played now d then. " I never saw the game before. Tl r called it ' petit-paquet*— English, ' J small pack.' " The cards were put fa<!e downwa s on the table, and you put stakes on i many of the cards as you liked. Tin was no limit to the stakes. "The defendants in turn acted i banker, and I never won at any time, 1; always lost. I suggested another gam ' vingt-et-un' we played that for little while only. When I left off play I had lost £66." On another occasion Mr. Waechter s that he played " petit-paquet" until n night, and lost about £228. At first counters were used, but afterwards counters were the regulation stake, paid £27 of his losses in cash, and gt Castles an lOU for £200. The day before the Grand National Ra Mr. Waechter added, Middleton and C ties called on him, and said that Lovelc wanted his £200. They then tried to t; him to a bookmaker in the Strand to ] £50 on a horse. Mr. Muskett: Have you paid the £2( Witness : Not yet. I came in touch w the police, and got information about th fellows. Before swearing an informatior saw Middleton, and said, "I know all abc • you. Yob robbed meyou swindled . m He replied: " Now you know everyth about us it is no use telling any stori but I can't pay you—not to save my life.' " I said, ' You are card-sharpers, and i robbed me,'" Mr. Waechter continued. . " took no exception to what I said, and in i admitted it. I told them I would have tl locked up, but I suppose he did not beli me. When I went to the flat again the ] ter at the mansions said that Middleton , gone out of town." . In cross-examination Mr. Waechter ! that he was twenty-nine, and had been < nectecl. with an American . insurance c 5 pany. He had been in England two ye i but had never gambled here before. Mr. Dalton (for the defence): Where you learn gambling? You are no chic' you know.- . .. : . 1 Mr. Muskett: No, lam afraid you only call him the pigeon. < The defendants were remanded, ,