RICH BUT IN RAGS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15970, 12 November 1919, Page 5

RICH BUT IN RAGS.

OLD GERMAN’S RUSE,

PLAN TO EYADE FOOTPADS

MELBOURNE-, November 1

With 19 old stockings and three pil-low-slips wound round his body, to keep him warm, he said, Leoabaru Winkler, an cld and apparently penniless man, was arrested on a charge of vagrancy. At the City Court he stated that he had invested £sobo in tlie Peace Loan. Inquiries vore made, and his story was substantiated by the authorities. This morning, when he appeared before the Court on remand, lip was discharged. Vvinkier, who win born in Germany in 1851, having lost a lot of money that was left to Mm by his father, decided to go to America, where lie stayed foe about 20 years. He is by profession a landscape gardener, florist, and horticulturist. By good investments he augmented his savings until hb accumulated a small fortune.

He cam© to Melbourne in 1906. “If there had been no war I would have been worth .£'lo,ooo to-day/' he said. Although he lost £3OOO in “mining swindles" in his first two years in Australia, he made some profitable investments, which later returned him a few thousands a year.

When war broke out he was not naturalised, and in 1916 the Federal Government disposed of his shares, which realised £5500. Of the proceeds he received £SOOO in cash, ’ and the remainder he invested in war - leans in 1916.

“I did it from, the patriotic point of view,” he said. “I have no country except the one in which I Jive."

When 'questioned why he wore such old clothes, lie said: “I have travelled the world. Once m New York I saw two men'who were finely dressed killed by ruffians- And they only got a few cents. Therefore I dress as a tramp and have no fear of anyone.”