A NEW METHOD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 221, 18 September 1934, Page 6

A NEW METHOD

the confidence trick. UNLUCKY SWINDLERS. Light was thrown at the Old Bailey, lyondon, recently on the wiles of the confidence man when a sentence of 23 months’ imprisonment was passed on Albert Edward Pearce, aged 43, an Australian clerk, who was convicted of possessing 16 pieces of paper bearing marks upon them resembling a £5 note. Actually the “notes” were engraved “Old England.’’ but they could Im conveniently folded to look like the genuine article. The Recorder, Sir Ernest Wild, stepped into the breach when a real “fiver” was needed for comparison by sending for one which | had been subscribed to a fund for assisting ex-prisoners and their relatives. Pearce also pleaded guilty to conspiring to obtain £3OO from Mr. 1 George Lockenburg, a South African visitor to London. Mr. Lockenburg met a stranger in Trafalgar Square and they got into conversation. They saw one another from lime to time, and at the end of May they went together to Hyde Park. Pearce, who was walking near, dropped his keys. Mr. Lockenburg picked them up and handed them to him. Pearce expressed his thanks, and added, “1 am a stranger here, but apparently there is some honesty in England.” The three men then chatted together, and Pearce produced a newspaper, in the “stop-press” of which was a report of an Irishman being left £500.00(1 to distribute to the poor of the world. There was also a photograph of Pearce, who said that he was the Irishman. The story, it was exp ained. had actually been printed into the paper after it had been sold. Went to Bank. The three men adjourned to a cafe and discussed how the money was to be disposed of. Mr. Lockenburg was asked to undertake to distribute it in .South Africa, but he pointed out that t. should be done through the High Commissioner. Pearce, however, said he wanted it done personally, and it was arranged that Mr. Lockenburg should hand over £3OO to show his bona tides. Both Pearce and the other man produced what appeared to be bundles of notes, and Mr. Lockenburg suggested going to his bank to draw out some money. Pearce asserted that the priests • lid not want him to go to banks, but eventually they did, and in consequence of what Mr. Lockenburg told the manager, the police arrived on the scene. The two men ran away, but Pearce was stopped when boarding a taxi-cab. The other man escaped. Mr. Lockenburg did not part with any money. In a suit case at Pearce’s room were found some “Old England” notes which were apparently part of a confidence trickster’s stock-in-trade. A detective disclosed that Pearce arrived in England in 1931. and in 1932 he travelled on the Continent, in Canada, and to New York, returning early this year. Pearce had two manor convictions in Australia in 1920 and 1921 respectively. The police had been unable to trace the man who was working with Pearce. Use Mazda British Made Electric Lamps—the Gloom Chasers. Distributors, National Electrical Company.— Advt.