PHANTOM STATE SECRET.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13106, 15 May 1911, Page 1

PHANTOM STATE SECRET.

: t The town of Marseilles' has been victimised by a clever swindler to the tune of several hundred pounds. A , well-dressed and good-looking man, calling himself Maurice le Lorrain, ' who said he was honorary vice-prosi- i dent of the Lorraine Sporting Club, ' arrived at one of the best hotels in ( Marseilles. There is no more patriotic town in France than Marseilles, and the recent arrest Q? the president of , the Lorraino Sporting Club at a gymnastic fete in Germany made the now arrival a popular Jiero. Lo Lorrain was interviewed, and his portrait appeared in all the local papers. He waa wined and dined extensively, and gave several lectures on Alsace and Lorraine, which were largely attended. . Then one clay he told the-police that | his pocket book and cheque book had been stolen in the street,, and that he | had received; f ro,m the thief an, anony- , mous letter, which he showed. The ' steajer of the pocket book wrote to , say that unless £20 was given to his messenger at once when he should send for it, he would hand over to , Germany a document of great import- , ance contained in/ ihe pocket book. ' Le Lorraiq to!^ nobody; wnat the document Kas,.. but excitement grew, as ! excitement can grow in Marseilles, when next day the newspapers published a second letter threatening Lo Lorrain with death if he continued urging the claims of Alsace aiid.Lor-, , raine"-in: Marseilles." Le Lbrraini told friends that he thought it wiser to go away for a few days. He left with*

put paying his hotel bill, after borrow mg £20 apiece from 30 or 40 different people to buy back "the important document." Inquiries have (says a cable from Marseilles) been made I about him at Mete and at the Lorraine Sporting Club. He is not known there and it is extremely improbable that Marseilles wil lever see him again unless the police, who are looking for him, succeed in finding him