Telephone Plot Frus= trated.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 1 July 1910, Page 4

Telephone Plot Frus= trated.

Through accidentally hearing a eoinvcrsation over the telephone win , (says the Daily Mail), a young woiiMii operator has been able to I'ru.straltt; a robbery whieili two men wcvv plotting. One was evidently an "old hand," and he was (Mcliiii" and persuading another man to go and steal tlie jewels ot a lady in a We.-:t End hotel. .Most i'xpl.i'ci.t instructions won* given, including the kind >and amount of 'luggage which would be required. "All you waii't," said a -mysterious voice, "is an ordinary wot'k-eiid bag. Goib a .wand-hand oho; it won't ! look so obvious. Kill it with pa;per, or any old stuff yon ran Iny your hands on, and you are equipped. Get a room on tlie same flcor as the lady, and wait your opportunity. When you have 'booked,' iiKike a bolt I'm it, and leiavo your bag ibehind." Tlm j other man expressed misgivings as to tlie success of the venture , , but n.fter imioli persuasion from the first voice consented to act as di recti? d. The telephone girl imniediii'tely rang up tho police, and n-n ofli(Tir wont with all haste, -to (.lie hotel. There the man .answering to the description overheard on tin telephone was found newly arrived. His bag was son robed, and it was nothing but paper and an old liossock. Ho was at once expelled from the hotel, a proceeding which lie in iiio way resemted. Xo prosecution followed, because it was wnsidorerl itilmt tlio Avas insufficionit. Tho second man com Id mot bo found, tlie hotol proprietors were loth i<\ tako action, and the identity of the o])p.rater who would liavo to be called to give "\ideiipe would h'avo to lie revealed. The operator o,f con hrolc; ibe rules of tlie teloiphnno service !,y divulging tilio conversation to the i>rflire. but she decided to risk her ■ra.tilicip t.li.nn give -he ithieves ti?ne to rarrv o'nt tlieir as would probabls- h.ave hafipan I she hid firsit inadd n ••[■<-• to hor superiors.