WOMEN VICTIMISED

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1920, Page 3

WOMEN VICTIMISED

A “LOUNGE LIZARD’S” OPERATIONS.

SYDNEY, Sept. 7. Quite a notable person, for some time, in Sydney, was Charlie Sboobert, who posed as a sort of super-bookmaker, and was affectionately referred to by a certain class of “lady” as “one of the best-dressed men in town.” He was wlmt the Americans call “a lounge lizard” —that is, he was a regular ornament in the lounges and winter gardens of the Hotel Australia, Hotel Carlton, and Usshers. He spent money lavishly, was received by the more flashy class of wealthy people here, and maintained a luxurious apartment at Potts Point.

Then quite suddenly the police pounced on “Charlie.” Therefore unpleasant stories about bis betting transactions with Sydney women—'the statement being freely made that he had swindled them —but none of them could be induced to prosecute. The methods he had employed, however,, interested the police, and they took him off to Melbourne to see how lie measured up with the description of a gentleman of a different name, who was wanted for a series of frauds against women in the

southern capital. He had worn out half-a-dozen aliases since he had been in Melbourne, but lie proved to be the same suave young gentleman. His methods were simplicity itself. Attired in fine raiment and displaying irreproachable manners, be had haunted the Melbourne hotel lounges and gradually scraped acquaintance with the type of women who frequent such places. These women are by no means persons of loose character, but they are now quite a distinct type. They are mostly young women who have found themselves in circumstances a good deal easier than they have heen accustomed to, but who are without the social activities which are available to those who have been born to wealth. These newly-rich women dress extravagantly, have the use of luxurious bouses and motor-cars, and turn readily to the racecourse, the hotel lounge, and the theatre. They seem to have no other avenues open to them, and t hey arc very desirous of being thought smart ! and “sporting.” j Shoqhert, posing as a wealthy young bookmaker, found these women the easiest prey. The charges which .were ' ultimately laid against him in Melbourne siiowed that he had victimised half-a-dozen women who had the courage to come into the open and lay the charges. He simply told them that he knew of “a good thing,” and the women handed him numerous sums, vary in" from £2O to £IOO to invest for them.°He generally succeeded m getting half-a-dozen sums from each woman before she became suspicious and "closed her purse. He persuaded most of them that he had an infallible “system.” The police found that.the man. bad a long list of convictions as n swindler and rogue. He was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, and declared an habitual criminal. The ease caused quite a sensation in certain circles m Sydney, where Slioobert. while the police were hunting for the Melbourne swindler, was a very prominent and popular figure