AN EXTENSIVE SWINDLE.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 584, 8 June 1868, Page 2

AN EXTENSIVE SWINDLE.

Bather an extensive swindle has just been discovered at Ballarat. We find the following particulars in the Courier The closing of a house of business in Arm-strong-street, over the door of which appears the inscription ‘Dobson & Co., merchants,’ seems to have given rise to considerable speculation on the part of some of the neighbors, in several instances also no little degieo of alarm on the part of their too confiding creditors. The firm has been known here only for a few months, having brought large quantities of general merchandise of superior class from Melbourne, including teas, bottled beer, cigars, caudles, and other easy marketable articles, all of which they sold at such prices as induced a very speedy clearance for cash. The style of business pursued was, however, so distinctive, that men of standing in the Hallarat mercantile vvm'ld very soon termed their own opinion of how matters Mould some day end, and bo well was this understood that we are happy to say that none of our local wholesale dealers have sulfcied. In the absence of any authentic particulars as to the amount of the firm’s transactions with several Melbourne lions s, it is only possible to generalise, but the aggregate must fie very considerable. The moth'-s operand}] is an old one, and consisted principally in I a clever adjustment of engagements bv I forced sales for cash so soon as rSic first: bills became due. 'i hese appear to have been met about a fortnight ago, which was the period which some calculating prophets had fixed for the culmination of matters. The game was, however, prolonged considerably, and doubtless profitably* to the partners, until the end of the week, when a large parcel of teas and other goods found a shelter under ami her roof, and the store of the firm being empty, the pre sence of the partners was of course no longer given, but they are understood to have taken passage by the overland steamer which sailed on Sunday. There! arc several tradesmen of the town who arc understood to be heavy sutierers, either through having given credit for jewellery,j clothing Ac., or still more deeply by having endorsed their bills. A horse and buggy were among the articles indulged in, purchased on a bill, with the additional aggravation of a roady-inoney loan from the original owner of the "trap. This was ostensibly procured with a view to buying wheat in the Cambcrdown district, but there is good reason for believing that a fresh owner was procured for the equipage, and the pr em-ds added to the capital stock. if he previous unfortunate owner has, however, taken measures for pursuing the fugitives. The gross amount realised by the ‘ firm’ is said to eiceed D2ooo.’’ It is understood that the late firm of “Dobson & Co., ’ wine and spirit merchants, Armstrong-si reef, Ballarat, did not leave A ietoria in the mail clnnl having ta-cn the alarm, took New Zealand for it. Several resentful creditors upon whom Mr Dobson and Mr Elation forgot to leave T-i-O. earns, it is said, are determined tu bring them bark to answer idr such a breach i f g>n,d[ breeding.