BOGUS CAPTIAN.

Timaru Herald, Volume C, Issue 15334, 30 April 1914, Page 4

BOGUS CAPTIAN.

A AIA ZING CONFIDENCE TRICK. "WALKING THE AYORLD FOR A AYIFE. Amazing allegations were made at Om'agh recently against a man who is said to have represented h'.niselt as wa'iking round the world for a wager of £20.7000 and a wife. Prisoner, Caplain Launcelot Alalpagane. alias Captain Thacker, alius Captain \ ano Tempest, was charged with obtaining money by false pretences. The police inspector - said prisoner represented himself as a captain of the United States cavalry ; and the son of a millionaire. His c-u.stom was to obtain letters of introduction from mayors ol cities,' chairmen of urban councils, clergymen, and other prominent people, aud it was alleged that lie obtained by this means large, sums of money. He stated that he was touring the world for a- wager of £20.000 and a wite. and that he had to complete his journey and marry by 1917. "He put up at the best hotels in oach town, furnished himself with credentials of which most persons would bo entirely unsuspicious, and .vo journeyed from place to place. The Omagh police, however, became suspicuous. with the result that "Captain Alalpfigane" was- arrested in Queenstown. Although charges of a i similar nature bad been brought against prisoner in other places, he managed to retain possession of his books, and still u«cd them. He had been in gaol for almost the whole of 1012. The inspector said that in accused's possession when he was arrested were photographs aud some hundreds of letters from young ladies in England and Ireland oifering him marriage. The inspector said the warrant again«t accused charged him with having obtained 5s by fraud from a man at Omagh, and seveial other .sums from other people. 'The officer who proved tlie arrest said prisoner made a statement that if he ■ got out of this case he would blow all i these who were opposed to him sky | liig'i. V. lien the books containing the. signatures of several well-known people were being handed in by witness, accused objected strongly on the grounds that proof should be adduced by the Crown as to lie validity of the signatures. Joseph AfcAlillan. a member of the Y.AI.C.A.. said accused called at the hall of the av.-ociat.iun on January 17. stating that ho was the son of an I .American millionaire touring iho world lor a wager and a wife, and produced eredentias bearing out his statement. Amongst liiem were letters purporting to come from the Alayors of Ouiagii and Derry, with the city sea is, and Ironi the Rig'h lion. Joseph Chamberlain, with the seal of ihe city of Birmingham. Prisoner indicated' to tho.se at the hall that he was "stranded," although he did not ask directly for money. He informed them that an advice on. a bank in Enniskiilen awaited him, and that he could obtain £2OO when he reached that town. A collection was made'.for him by the I members, something like 30s being sub- ! scribed. * 'Alalpagane'' then entertained the members with stories for some time, and informed them that he had travelled through South Africa, a.nd told tliein of his adventures with lions. "Witness added that prisoner told a story that ho walked through the Sahara Desert on one occasion for 13 days without food and four davs without water. He showed them *a. mark below his eye. which he said was caused by a lion, and explained that he saw two cubs in the forest and, being determined to get one, approached them with that object, when the old jjou "\\ Gnt for luni. These »storics lie told in a plausible and convincing way ' Although prisoner said lie was a caiV tain in the United States Army he was dressed m the uniform of the' boy scouts. Witness gave him all the money that he had in his Pocket at the tune. The chairman aslced nri>oiicr if hewould bo represented by counsel and Alalpagane" . replied that probablv J: . American Consul would engage on'e for him. He also said he intended to take an action against the chief conf O (n i e£Ulln S tlle district inspector"!