CONFIDENCE TRICK

Southland Times, Issue 18929, 1 May 1923, Page 5

CONFIDENCE TRICK

£2OOO STOLEN AUSTRALIAN ARRESTED IN FRANCE (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) PARIS. April 30. (Received April 30, 7.35 p.m) Charles Edward Holoway, an American, and Francis O’Brien, an Australian, were I arrested. They are supposed to be members of an international gang. The arrests followed complaints by Louis Rubin, an American banker, who was victimised on Thursday in Brussels to the extent of £2OOO by the confidence trick. Rubin came to Paris with detectives, where he recognised the portrait of O’Brien as the ! man who robbed him. The police went to the hotel Rue de Rivoli and learned that O’Brien had gene to Cherbourg to join the Mauretania, but he was arrested. Holloway is sn alleged acccipplice. O’Brien’s description was telegraphed to Cherbourg during the train journey. However, O’Brien changed everything he wore, including socks and his gold-rimmed spectacles. His appearance was so altered that two Americans were arrested who were travelling in the same compartment. The error was found before the Mauretania sailed. O’Brien was arrested as he was boarding the boat. He vigorously protested that he was an English citizen, but the police searched his luggage and found £2500 in English, French and Belgian money hidden in a shirt in O’Brien’s travelling bag. Holloway was identified as one of the three men who tried to swindle an American shoe merchant in September. He was captured after a struggle in which a detective was shot. Holloway was sent to Hospital, but he was released on condition that he left the country.