UNKNOWN

Otago Witness, Issue 2524, 30 July 1902, Page 9

UNKNOWN

Frederick John Ferris, who received a. scntenea of eight months for false pretences to day, is a well-dressed young man, agod 35, with a plausible tongue, and it 13 said that in Napier, Palmerston North, Christchurch, Nelson, and Dunedin he has vie- | timised clever people, including several lawyers, liifa gains in some cases rm,n:ng into three figures. The way he worked was in some cases amusing. Two letter* from fictitious brothers in England were v. ritten on paper deeply edged with black, and they announepd the death of " uncle," and the ' consequent legacy of mythical thousands and j broad acres. Then the terms in which fhoy wero couched were cunningly convincing. The wandering brother in New Zealand wa« advised of family changes, the giving aviay in marriage of a beloved «ister, the birth of a nephew, and the solu-ction of uncle a% godfather to the Jnfant, and other events of personal interest to the absent one. Tho hope was expressed that uncle would think a lot of his godson. Strangely enough, and j it is a thing that the lawyers to whom they 1 v/qto shown muffc have observed with kepn professional satisfaction, tho keynote of the letters announcing the legacy was tho lepeated brotherly advice " to go and sro a lawyer." Reirct was expressed t.hat th.-, bad not bee-n dono on the fiVl intimp.tir-n of the legacy. The letter v. as apparently sue from a per c on of limited education, for the orthography would haio. failed a Third Standard schoolboy. ,

Some 15 years ago (HlO Eawhia correspondent of th« Auckland Star writo<=) a showman, toured New Zealand with three alleged pygmies— a father, his wife, anl son. Tho father and mother died at Palmenftoi], and now the son is at Tiawhia .•tlonp. He is a hard-working, very i-miit, intelligent little fellow, about 35, and stand- | ing- about 3ft 10m. He is \oiy anxious to .{e-t lack to his native country, being in a. st.tto of poverty ; and if this should meet the cy.; of anyone going to tho 'Cape who would like a good handy servant, the little fellow would be very grateful to give his servicjs for a passage.