A FATAL SWINDLE.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1459, 7 April 1873, Page 2

A FATAL SWINDLE.

The biter is sometimes bit with a vengeance; ; The ; latest yiptim says " A^lqEl" in the'JLeaefejy'of his own sharpness if a host of an hotel not a hundred miles from , Melbourne. There arrived at his house a I young man iidp.' New Zealand whose father was known as the Squire in. the English village ;in ; which thft iandlpjdisa'w the light of. day. The stranger, fronvSew Zealand produced a '.paper in which the death; of Ma father was announced, and in which it was stated that the son was ToTGTOjOOO. "The fien?" confessed Jie had no money, and proposed thai JEe landlord should lend him L2OO, pronMng to make a wUI. in Ms,, favor in. case'hd should die on the passage home. The baiv gain was concluded; -the money paid, «ad the will drawn ; but instead of repairing on shipboard the young .man began -a career; of dissipation in Melbourne, Ihe landlord being in no way anxious to ftftt a stop to his vicious courses'.' ■' At last an attack ;of .delirium,, .tremens. ensued. A doctor , was, called in, and, then, as the case grew- serious, another-was^eakfor. Chloroform was administered, but ibis and two medical men were tocr nrocO^j any mortal frame to .stand, and soothe patient died. The landlord gave each of the doctors a stiff cheque, paid., the 'funeral expenses without a murmerV and even erected a handsome headstone over the grave 0f ... hia;tfri§nd. He then wrote to England, and enclosed the . w iJUin prder, ; to ? touch;; the ; fruit <*Ihis generosity. He had thrown his bread

upon the waters truly in vain. News came back that the old squire was alive and in good health, and it was then ascertained that the youngster had himself caused the advertisement, which was to establish his identity as an heir to be inserted in the paper. The landlord has a supreme oontempt for the veracity of the Press, and looks upon heirs as pure mythical creations of adventurous or impecunious brains.