LONG FIRM" FRAUDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2083, 25 January 1894, Page 17

LONG FIRM" FRAUDS.

Auckland, January 19. Joseph Miller and Frank Smith, alias Shy ner, both Prussians, were arrested last night on a charge of conspiring to defraud three meroantile firms hero. They are supposed to be members of a " Long firm." A quantity of the goods were recovered, and 80 sovereigns were found on one prisoner, besides a passage ticket by the Talune. They were remanded for a week, bail being refused. It was stated in court that a third person who is "wanted" had been arrested at Waitara.

New Plymouth, January 19. At the Police Court to-day a man named Smith, alias Miller, alias Jackson, was brought up on a charge of defrauding two well-known firms in Auckland — M 'Arthur and Co. and Trentworth and Co. Inspector Thomson stated that the accused and two brothers arrived in Auckland from Russia with limited capital. They managed to get credit for a large quautity of goods. After a time their creditors pressed for a settlement, and in reply they said they had let the goods out to hawkers, who had not sent in all the money. Eventually the firms instituted inquiries, and found that accused had been perpetrating a swindle after the manner of the "Long firm" swindle. Accused was remanded to Auckland for trial.

The charge against a gumdigge*— Arthur Turk, or Kirk— of an alleged attempt to drowa Matilda Wetheridge at Pake, Auckland, was dismissed owing to contradictory evidence. Some witnesses swore the woman fell overboard, and that the man jumped in to save her.