DINNIE'S DARING ARREST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7721, 2 June 1903, Page 2

DINNIE'S DARING ARREST.

SMART , PERFORMANCE OF NJIW ZEALAND'S POLICE COMMISSIONER ELECT One of the criminal cases is worth recapitulating that made famous Detective Walter Dittiiie, the officer who is about to assume the position of Chief Commissioner of Police in this colony. It was the daring arrest of the individual who is known as the " Man who broke the ba<nk at Monte Carlo," a case which created a great deal of interest come ten years,, ago. This man was accused of defrauding a well-known lady and some gentlemen of £40,GQ0, advanced for tlie purpose of perfecting an invention in steam machinery, Which would revolutionise marine propulsion. HewM a very clever engineer, and having spent many years upon- the Contiiient he Decam© 0> olfevef linguist, and his plausible stories Were fid well told that his victims refused to believe Mir Dinnie when he informed v them thoy' had been swindled. Instead of perfecting hi» invention, the man became the hero of a pheaomsn&l run of luck at Monbe Carlo, Which earned for .hiitt the sobsiquab of. tie " Mali who broke the Bank." Although this is impossible, foj did on several occasions clear out all the money which ctoupiers ftt a couple of tables possessed, whilst oil another Occa* sion he rosa the winner of fiomo £60,000. He invented & system, of pplaty t which he afterward* explained in a work he published ( on Monte Carlo gambling, and so sensational was big play, and bo famous did he become, that ha l-eccived requests from, all part* of the world from persons who wanted him to play with the money they advanced. In tne Bay outside the Prince of Monaco's Island this mtfn had a magnieent steam yacht, fitted up Regardless of expense, and in this ho wai in the habit of taking trips round ih& world. Hearing that proceeding* were to be taken against him, the man sailed from England'' and anchored' his yacht just off Havre, where he was told lie, would be safe from the English police,' who would have to go through tortuous paths laid down by the extradition laws before they could arrest him, and seeing that his victims were proceeding by civil action against him, it would "bs many years before he need worry. Mr Dinnfo, however, ferreted out the secret' of the alleged marvellous invention, atid finding the most barefaced fraud had been practised, he obtained a warrant at Bow Street for the man's arrest. Ghief-Lispec-tor Dinnie.very soon simplified matters by taking with hiim to Havre some police officers who had, before joining the force, been sailors, and in less than an hour aftet his arrival at the French port he had boarded the yaoht, arrested the owner and •set sail for England. The man who broke tie bank a* Monte Carlo subsequently had several years' enforced retirement in his Majesty's ptittm, in, which to thinks out fresh- inventions. Mr pinnie',w*jll, of course, be better remembered for the very active pa,rt id has taken in recently bringing tine men accused of forging Bank of England notes to justice, a task in which Ihe has been most ably assisted by D&tective?&wpecfcor Davidson, of the City police.* Mr Dinnie will also be remembered, for the prominent part that he played in "breaking up and bringing to justice that hugeconfederacy known as tho Great iTiro 3Ring, which for something like half a century had lived! put of fires and the compensation giv&x by insurance companies for lots bus* tamed. -