“THOROUGH RASCALS."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 1888, 16 September 1921, Page 5

“THOROUGH RASCALS."

ATTEMPTED FRAUD. CAUTIOUS SOUTH AFRICAN. , ' V V,LONDON. Sept. 6. Remarking, "You are two thorough rascals," the magistrate at Bow Street sentenced David 1 . Lewis and Victor de Maurice to three months' hard labour for having attempted to obtain £2500 from a South African stockbroker, George > Twycross. .■.

The prosecutor said that he met the accused at the Ivanhoe Hotel. 1 Lewis described himself as an Australian, who was buying blood stock, and Twycross mentioned that he had a concession of 300 square miles of fibre-yielding trees on the Zambesi, and wanted capital. .v . •

~ Lewis promised to; raise £5000, and went to- the telephone. '. When he " returned Jde.; Maurice professed to have drawn a 1 cheque of £2500, and asked Twycross for a similar amount,. s. : ! ; ;

Twycross became suspicions, and made an appointment .to meet the accusedi later. He then communicated with the police. Lewis had been convicted three" times in Australia and Maurice eleven times in England. ', '. ■• ;

Lewis is veil known to the police of Sydney. He left, there many years ago. It is said that he was the first to sell the sundial in the Botanic Gardens /or £100 to a visitor from the country.