THE STORY OF A CONFIDENCE TRICK

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7078, 16 March 1910, Page 1

THE STORY OF A CONFIDENCE TRICK

BOGUS NOMINATIONS A WAIRARAPA SPORTSMAN'S HORSES. The story of an interesting "confidenco" trick played upon Mr J. A. Farmer, trainer to Mr W. li. Bidwill, of tho Wairarapa, is soon to bo' told in tho Wellington Police Court. It concerns the racehorses Provocation and Tribulation, and their nomination for certain events at Randwick last Christinas. On December 30th Mr J. Ames, of Wellington, received a letter purporting to come from Air Farmer, and requesting him to leave the sum of £lO at the offices of Messrs Izard and Weston, solicitors. "I. havo.no doubt," tho oommunicatiou stated, ''you will bo surprised to get this from mo, but I was too late to get a post-office order for £lO when I came into Featherston." If he agreed, he was to place the £lO in another envelope, enclosed, addressed to "Mr T. Hatton, care of Izard and Weston," with'.a request to that firm to pay over the money, on being called for, as Mr Farmer had been instructed to do'this by Mr Bidwill. The money was to be left there "before 11 a.m. on December 30th. MiAmes being out of town, did not receive the letter in time, and therefore could not comply with the request. The memorandum to "Mr Hatton" instructed him to nominate tion for the Boneaster Handicap, Sydney Cup, Newmarket Handicap, Australian Cup, Champagne Stakes, and Essendon Stakes, and Tribulation for the Champagne Stakes and Produce Stakes. Mr Ames next day communicated with a friend of Mr Bid will's in Wellington and the nominations "were duly cabled to Sydney. The friend, in turn, wrote to Mr Bid-will, telling him he had complied with his alleged request, only to discover that Mr Bidwill and his trainer, Mr Farmer, .knew nothing whatever ahout the matter and had given ho such instructions as indicated in the letter. A cablegram was accordingly despatched to the secretary of .the A.J.C., cancelling the nominations (which happened to be in a couple of days too late) and explaining tho reason. . ' Detective Andrews has had the matter in hand,..and,.it has now reached a stage at which the police are in a position to lay a> charge against a man now (awaiting 'trial on lars.eries of similar -charges;;} v ;Thei, written in this ease; is - said -to ibe'in''the same' handwriting as.the letters which have been put in as evidence in 'other cases. There - will be a further charge against the tsamo man. On December' 30uli it-will be .alleged that he rang up ■Staples' bTowery 'and sent a message purporting to come from Mrs O'Halloran, licensee of the - Porirua Hotel, asking that £5 be, left at Messrs Izard ■and! Weston's, to be called ■■ for hy "Thomas Hatton." The money was d'ul yleft at the solicitors' office andcalled for by. a person, said to be 'the ■man now in custody, .who gave a.re- , ceipt. A hoy was sent- for .the money in the .first instance,, hut he failed in lias mission, being told, to send the person -who had given him the instructions.' , ■ .■ '■ .'.-' ■.-..'■'■