POSED AS DOCTOR

Hokitika Guardian, 20 April 1927, Page 1

POSED AS DOCTOR

HOODWINKED A TOWN. SYDNEY, April 7. All ihc north coast district of this Stale and a wale area of Southern Queensland arc chuckling over the escapades of n man who hoodwinked the fashionable seaside resort, of Tweed Heads. The man was described as an “entertaining” rogue, not without, truth and humour, for part of the method hy which he imposed on his victims was first In capture their confidence and goodwill hy entertaining them at picnics and motor-car runs. Arriving at Tweed Heads, the man described himself as Dr George Aitken Sampson, of North Sydney, and he made enquiries concerning the purchase of a practice. One of the doctors concerned invited the poser to lunch, and the other invited him to a bridge evening. Tbe man presented a professional card at a boarding-house, secured accommodation on the strength of it and posing as a graduate of Sydney University, opened a hanking account. He introduced himself to a number.of leading residents. Business men and officers of public institutions were invited to meet him with a view to discussing the prospects of a. medical man in the town. The poser arranged for the lease of consulting rooms, and ordered a quantity of drugs. Then at the week-end he hired a car and entertained a party, which included a well-known Queensland Police Magistrate, and other Court officials, to a motor run to Southport (Queensland) and hack. He also arranged for an outing for the next day, Sunday, and ordered picnic hampers. But tbe car-driver proved his undoing. The fare of C 3 10s not being forthcoming for Saturday’s trip, the driver refused tbe Sunday engagement, and members of the duped party paid the account. Enquiries being immediately set on foot, the imposter was soon in tintoils of the law. Police investigations showed that Dr Sampson had a dozen aliases, mostly with the " Dr.” tacked on in front of them. He had 33 convictions ranging from one month to six years, including 19 convictions Tor hiring motor-cars and rc-iusing to pa.v. and five convictions for posing as doctors. He pleaded guilty to the charges laid against him and was sentenced to U_> months’ imprisonment. But what Tweed Heads thought capped everything was the fact that in 1921 ii" received a sentence of 12 months in gaol in the same town, where, in the guise of a doctor, he arranged to purchase a practice and actually assisted at a minor operation, it was a case of the public memory being very abbreviated.