NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1928, Page 3

NEWS BY MAIL.

CHARMING TRICKSTER. LONDON, Alay 15. 1 Known to the railway police throughout tho country as the “father” of the thrOe-card tricksters, Henry Spriggs, aged 56, giving an.address in the East End of London, was yesterday at Alary.lebone Police Court sentenced to three months’ hard labour for inducing travellers on the Great AVestern Railway to “spot the Queen.” Spriggs has gained the name of “father” on account of his kindly apporance and his charm of manner when inducing fellow-travellers to "spot the Queen” at the three-card trick.

AVith two or three members of tho gang he would enter a railway carriage, but would sit apart from them to read bis newspaper. Then he would start talking to someone in tho compartment about tho agricultural position in the country, and soon gained the confidence of those around him. Directly the cards wore produced he would Login to speculate and win. AVlien the victims of the gang had lost their money he would lecture them on the evils of gambling. He has been known to agree to accompany a victim to a police station and report the nuisance caused by three card tricksters.

Last month Spriggs was responsible fori an Indian subject entering into the game and losing £3O. AVlien the victim reached Reading he had not sufficient money to pay the gang, so Spriggs accompanied him to his hank and waited until he had cashed a

cheque. Spriggs held a season ticket between Paddington and Reading and also season tickets on other railways foi short journeys. DETECTIVE PLAYS GUNMAN. NEW YORK, May 15. • Michael Hencliard, in Thomas Hardy’s “ The Mayor of Casterbridge,” sold ins wife for five guineas. The police of Pntehogue, Long Island, reveal mi even grimmer episode of a woman who is said to have sought to hire an assassin to kill her husband for £4, with the promise of a good spaghetti dinner if he were successful. This is the story the police relate after arresting Mrs Iva Austin, 28 years old, and her boarder, Arthur Ah ad orel, a labourer, of the same age, on a charge of attempted murder. Somewhat naively, it is alleged, the woman confided her des ro. to obtain a gunman to a neighbour, who thought it wise to inform the .police. To obtain better evidence a detective decided to impersonate the gunman and offer his services. He was welcomed with alacritv, the suggestion being made that he should shoot the husband while lie was at work so that insurance for £BOO could be collected. CLOSING THE DEAL. To this the detective demurred and proposed killing the unfortunate Austin in a lonely spot not far from his home. Then, say the police, Abadore eanio in and improved upon Airs Austin’s grim proposal by suggesting that if the masquerading gunman would also dispose of his wife the two plotters would he able to marry and presumably -live happily ever afterwards. . For his double deed Abadore, it is stated, offered to pay £4O. The detective asked for something on account to close the' deal, and when the money was handed to him he slipped out two pairs of handcuffs and arrested the two tempters. _ Austin, who is- a gardener, 'uals working vesterday when informed o his wife’s arrest. He remarked that he had suspected something of the sort and with a shrug of the shoulders turned to his task of watering flowers. automatic anaesthetist. NEW YORK, A fay 15.

The mechanical Robot is making vet another encroachment upon the field of human activities. Having learned to answer the telephone and keep watch Mn tlie power stations of tlie United States Government, he will now lie employed to administer anaesthetics to patien s undergoing operations. He will take the. place of the doctor or nurse previously employed for this delicate job. his inventor, a professor at Alarjland University, says that lie will make no errors either in administering an un-

der or an overdose. The new official gives Hie anaesthetic by means of tubes and valves which are controlled by tlie patient’s breathing. AVhen a person is passing under the influence of chloroform the respiration varies as he passes from t e

irritation stage through the fighting stage into that of complete unconsciousness. The Robot takes advantage of these variations to administer the dtlse by automatic feeding. OLD SILVER BOOM. " LONDON, Alay 15. Alore than £3,200 was realised for a silver dinner service, mostly of the George 11. period, at Christie’s yesterday, this huge price being mainly due to the growing American demand. Ten years ago such a service would have produced half this sum. If the rate of increase continues Georgian silver will in a few years realise the price of gbld. Sixty dinner plates were sold at nbout a guinea an ounce, four meat dishes made £543, and no less than 13os an ounce was paid for 12 threepronged dessert, forks. High prices were also paid for old Norwich plate. A tiny beaker dated 1620 made £24 10s an ounce, and several other pieces sums ranging from 150 s to 400 s an ounce.