PLAUSIBLE CONFIDENCE MEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13147, 9 April 1906, Page 6

PLAUSIBLE CONFIDENCE MEN.

TWO STRANGERS VICTIMISED IN MELBOURNE.

The Federal-Houlder-Shire liner Dorset arrived in Melbourne on Saturday, March 24, from London, en route for New Zealand. On board were several emigrant-, who were going to New Zealand in search of work. Two of them, .Joseph and AN illiam Getlcy, were in Elisabeth-street on Sunday night, when a false alarm of fire brought the Metropolitan Fire Brigade to the corner opposite the post office. They joined the crowd, and struck up a conversation with tv.o strangers, who, they soon found, were surveyors, also leaving for New Zealand by the s.s. Dorset. The Get-leys are ininers. and as soon as the two strangers heard this they offered the. brothers work in New Zealand at 8s a day. The matter was, however, only mentioned, and the strangers made an appointment to meet the Getleys on Monday at an hotel in A'Beckett-street. Congratulating themselves on their good fortune in thus obtaining work in advance, the Getieys hurried to keep the appointment on Monday morning. They found the two "surveyors" at the hotel, and the bargain was clinched. All four then walked down into the city to Colonial Mutual Chambers, so that the "surveyors" might get their theodolite, and take it down to the steamer. There is an entrance in Collins-street and another in Market- and no one standing at one entrance would ever suspect the existence of th» other. When the party arrived there the "surveyors" discovered that they had left behind the money for the theodolite. The Getieys were asked how much they had, and they replied that they had £6 each. The " surveyors" remarked how fortunate this was, for £12 was the exact amount they had to pay for the theodolite, and offered to borrow it, premising to payeach man 10s for the loan of his £6 until they all met on board the Dorset. The miners agreed, ami handed over t-heii money. Then the " surveyors" marched into Colonial Mutual Chambers through the Collinsstreet entrance, and have not been seen since. The Getieys waited a long time, then, feeling that they had been tricked, informed the police. •