THE GREAT TASMANIA REEF SWINDLE.

Colonist, Volume XIII, Issue 1287, 25 January 1870, Page 3

THE GREAT TASMANIA REEF SWINDLE.

In our last issue (says the Launceston Examiner) we announced that on Friday the arrangements for the disposal of the Great Tasmania Reef had at length been completed, the price agreed upon—£looo— having been handed over th&t day to Mr. Ellis and. Mr. Millen, who is dividing mate with Mr. Pilson. Mr. Dowlin, the mining manager, appointed by the purchasers, together with some miners, proceeded on that day to take possession of the reef at Waterhouse, but a man named Williams, who had been left in charge, refused to allow them near the shaft, which had been partially filled up. After giving a good deal of trouble Williams vacated the claim, and the men went to work. By this time a large crowd of men had gathered together. After working some time, the miners expressed their belief that the reef had been " salted,"—in other words, the gold found had been placed in the quartz —and they pronounced fche affair a swindle. A public meeting was then held in the open street, and a deputation was appointed to wait on Mr. Commissioner Shaw to apply for warrants for the apprehension of the vendors of the reef. The commissioner,' however, declined to grant the warrants, as no one present could swear that any money had been paid; but he advised them to communicate with the purchasers an Launceston, who could take proceedings there. Messrs. Spiller and O'Grady accordingly started without delay for Launceston, and arrived in town about t\vo o'clock on Sunday morning. They immediately proceeded to the police stiation, and saw Mr. Coulter, the superintendent of police. The police' were then put on .the alert. Knowing that Millen and Ellis had taken their passages by the steamship Derwent, whioh was to leave for Melbourne at noon, Mr. Coulter and Subinspeotor Sullivan went down to the wharf, and ascertained, that, the parties they were in leawb, of had

been oh board the steamer, but had gone up town again. They accordingly took » cab and drove up Charles-street, and just as they approached the Coach and Horses inn, at the corner of Charles and Patter-son-streets, they spied their men coming out of the .side door of the hotel. They then arrested Millen and Ellis, and on searching them found, on the former, a draft of tlie Commercial Bank on the Bank of New South Wales for £300, and on the latter, a draft on the same bank for £360. Millon and Ellis appeared somewhat astonished at their arrest, but made no remark of any consequence, and proceeded quietly to the watchhouse, where they were locked up. They were brought up at the Police Court yesterday, charged, by Messrs. Tulloch, Murphy, and Hudson, with conspiring to defraud, and were remanded until next Monday, when the caso will be fully investigated. Bail was refused. The affair has caused no little excitement in town.