A FALSE BISHOP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12242, 11 April 1903, Page 4 (Supplement)

A FALSE BISHOP.

It was at Lord Charlemont's that Sir' Julius Benedict.told the story of a. clever robberyC" at Hunt and Roskell's. An American- •;" bishop called there one day in his carriage.,' * The prelate asked to see some bracelets,/ mentioning that he was returning to Ame-," •, rica and wished to take a. present to,'tis . wife. Nothing very-expensive," he s;iH— ' - "something about £70 or £80." Eventual 1 lie agreed to take a bracelet that cost • " £100. The only money he had with him was a note for that amount, but he would. , wait till the jeweller sent it to the bank to make sure that there was nothing wrong • - with it. The note was found to be genuine; / the exchange was effected ; and the bishop - - with the bracelets was about to step into ] his carnage. "Hallo, Jim," exclaimed rs. I ; policeman, touching the bishop, on. the : shoulder, "you're up to youi old tricks again, are you? You'll just come along, •with me." The policeman took , the prolrt« .. ■back into the shop. "Hunt and Roskelk; said there must be some mistake, that • the : gentleman was an American bishop, that ; he had just bought a . £100 bracelet - and V paid , for it with an excellent £100 note. i ; . "Just let me look at the note, will you':". said the policeman. " ifes, it's just" as I * thought. This note is one of a particularly, . clever batch of forgeries which are. verydifficult to detect, and the man is no more a ; • bishop than you axe. We will go off to the - police station at once. I will take the note', and go on with the prisoner in the and you must send your men in a . cab to <: meet us and bear witness." So the police-: „ man took the bishop and the bracelet and ■ii the note; but when Hunt and Boskell's men .A reached the police station they had not vet ■*; arrived. And they have never been heard of ; ; since!" ■ • , v „- .