FARMERS HOAXED

Waikato Times, Volume 123, Issue 20691, 29 December 1938, Page 2

FARMERS HOAXED

DEFRAUDED OF £2OOO GIPSY WOMEN’S RUSE (Times Air Mail Service) LONDON, November 10. The brothers Gabriel are well-known farmers in the Hautes Alpes department of France. Their father, a hard-working farmer, had left them about £I7OO in gold coins. The brothers, In the years since his death, increased their hoard to about £2OOO. Their future was assured until they met two women—“pilgrims on the way to Ihe Basilica of St. Theresa at Lisieux in Normandy ” The women said that they had been “in communication with the soul” of Gabriel pere, who wanted his gold purified and blessed in the basilica. 7’iie brothers agreed to allow about £2OO of the treasure to he “blessed." The women went off with the money, but returned a few days later. "The *oul of your father is not satisfied.” they said. “All the fortune must he purified.” So the brothers agreed, keeping only a small sum hack. Their treasure was on the way \„ purification —op so they thought. A week later a “police inspector'' turned up at the farm and fold them that the women, gipsies, had been arj rested. The> had the money. Fifty j police are looking i«« r the w.-nom, the -•money,. a.oA trie bogus inspector--