AN EXTENSIVE SWINDLE.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 76, 15 June 1868, Page 143

AN EXTENSIVE SWINDLE.

Rather 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 Borne of the neighbors, in several instances also no Jittle degree of alarm on the part of their too confiding creditors. The firm has been knowu here only for a few months, having brought large quantities of general merchandise of superior class, from. Melbourne, including teas, bottled beer, cigars, candles, 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 wa3, however, so distinctive, that men of standing in the Ballarat mercantile world very soon formed their own opinion of how matters would some day end, and 90 well was this understood that we are happy to say that none of our local wholesale dealers have suffered. In the absence of any authentic particulars as to the amount of the firm’s transactions with several Melbourne houses, it is only possible to generalise-, but the aggregate must be very considerable. The modus operandi

is an old one, and consisted principally in a clever adjustment of engagements by forced sales for cash so soon as the first bills'became due. These appear to have been met about a fortnight ago,'which was the period which some calculating phets had fixeiTfor 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 another rooi, and the store of the firm being empty, the presence 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 are several tradesmen of the town who are understood to be heavy sufferers, eithei through haying given credit for jewellery, clothing &e ,"or still more deeply by-having endorsed their bills. A horse and buggj were among the articles indulged in, purchased on a bill,, with the additional aggravation of a ready-money loan-from the original owner of the trap. This was ostensibly procured with a view to buying wheat in the Camberdown district, bul here is good, reason for believing that £ ’resh owner was procured for the equipage, md the proceeds added to the capita] ttock. The’ previous unfortunate ownei las, however, taken measures for pursuing ;he fugitives. The gross amount realised >y the * firm ’ is said to exceed £2000.” It is understood that the late firm oi ‘Dobson & C 0.,” wine and spirit merchants. \.rmstrong-street, Ballarat, did not leave Victoria in the mail steamer, but having ;aken the alarm, took New Zealand for it Several resentful creditors upon whom Mi Dobson and Mr Hatton forgot to leave P.P.C. cards, it is said, are determined tc iring them back to answer for such t jreaoh of good breeding..