THE IMPUDENT IMPOSTER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2224, 7 July 1891, Page 3

THE IMPUDENT IMPOSTER.

A few weeks ago a man who gave his name-as Leslie, made a tour of the Ashburtion County, representing himself as being the travelling agent of The American Celluloid Portrait Company,” with its New Zealand headquarters in Dunedin. He was armed with a supply of sample protraits, very prettily executed; a

scale of prices graduating from 6s upwards; and a “ sweet persauding tongue.” He visited a large number of residents in the borough, and in the other townships in the country, getting abundance of orders and the cash in . advance. Asked now his customers were to know his bona jides. he put on a smile that, like that of a heathen Chinee, was childlike and bland, and referred his questioner to the officers of the police, all of whom knew him to be a respectable man. His assurance was so thorough, and the reference so perfectly satisfactory that of course nobody ever thought of asking the police about him. He promised the execeutel protraits in from ten or twenty days, and departed to send his orders to Dunedin* The ten days passed and drew on to twenty, but no portraits came and the victims began to suspect they had been diddled. Information was given to the police, and inquiries were made, with the result that, after an assurance from the police at Dunedin that uo such company was known there, but that many letters addressed to it were unclaimed at the post office, a warrant was issued for Leslie’s arrest. But to cook a hare you must catch it—so to bring this swindler to justice he must first be caught. A stern chase is a long chase and the clever swindler has had a long start of justice.'—Ashburton Guardian.