HOAXING A TOWN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1073, 11 March 1911, Page 7

HOAXING A TOWN.

TWO CLERKS ACCUSED OF A HUGE PRACTICAL JOKE. At Hull recently details of an extraorr ilinary hoax, which appeal's to liavo been played for three months on two Wcsleyan ministers, the Hev. R. A. 11. Kedwaid nnil ilie Rev. W. Ilean, were Riven, Jbsenli Godson and John Ward, clerks, employed by nickleton Stain Colliery Company, were charged with forecry. The prosecuting solicitor said that i.lid accused—who admit led the offence—had sent nil manner of letters to tradespeople (jiviiiff boßiis orders, and as a consequeneo Roods which included sixty turkeys, weapons of eoal, barrels of beer, ami (jiiantities of spirits, had been delivered lo one or the oilier of the ministers.' Goods were/sent fiom London and Burton, ami other loiir distances. The expense to Iho tradesmen involved w:(s estimated (o amount to hundreds of pounds. Another phase of tile joke was lo telephone or write to tradespeople to send men, with the result that the victims of (ho lioas had boon besiefjed for weeks by chimney sweeps, builders' men, cubs, e.nd motorcar?. Men were sent to repair a leak oh (lie roof ol" (Jueen's 2!is?ion Hall when none existed; and the Co-operative Society's choir was fooled into attending at tim same hall.

In fact, the solicitor said, hardly a firm in llull had escaped. A letter 'wai also written purporting to come from Mr. T. R. Ferens, M.l*. for East Hull, asking why Dr. Asko, a Hull solicitor, had been knighted at the New Year and lie (Mr. Kerens) had been passed over. Tho accused wore first suspected through a telephono call, which was received bv a local music dealer, and were ('rapped by ono of the Hiekleton Colliery Company's typewriters beiiiß manipulated and marked paper bciiiß provided for tho liso of. tho two suspected clerks. Tho licensed were romntided.