NEWS BY MAIL.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1929, Page 8

NEWS BY MAIL.

DOCTORS SWINDLED

BERLIN. February 11

There were 500 charges against Refit hold Ueibsehcr, a man of 95, whose trial began in a Berlin court to-day.

lie was condemned to throe years’ penal servitude in 1924, lint in 192(5 was removed -from the prison to a Berlin hospital for an operation. lie escaped from the hospital and lived for two years most comfortably on the frauds if or which lie is now being tried. 11 is methods were very simple, lie first, ascertained, usually by telephone, thal his victims were not at home, and then arrived at their houses with parcels carefully tied up and sealed and demanded payment ranging from 90s to T2O from the servants.

HIS PERSUASIVE MANNER, liis ingenuity mid address were so good that lie usually persuaded the servants to use household money or their own savings to pay him, and made out such a good case that many went out to borrow the money froip tradespeople. The parcels, o't course, contained nothing hut ruhhish. He victimised 50 doctors in this war hv arriving in their absence with packets which lie declared contained poisonous drugs and must on no account he opened by the servants. A number of professors and lawyers and even a couple of judges were defrauded by him.

PRIMITIVE MAX FOUND

JOHANNESHURCL Feb. 11

The Transvaal Museum announces the discovery ol the most important IVsmil remains of a primitive man yet found in South Africa.

While quarrying stone at Springbok Flats, in the Northern Transvaal, workmen struck hones which were identied as those of a gigantic extinct buffalo and. a powerful primitive man not closely related to the Negroid race.

Experts believe that the man was of the Cromagnou type, possibly earlier than the Rhodesian man. Tt is believed that t'm man was trampled to death by the buffalo.

In view of the visit of the Britis’ Association to South Africa great importance is attached to the discovery, which is regarded as the first proof that a primitive pre-Xegroid race lived here

A SUPER-ROBOT AT DINNER

NEW YORK, February 11

A Robot surpassing in ability any mechanical man vet invented was a guest last night at a dinner of UnAmerican Institute. He was present on the invitation of liis inventor, Mr .John Breisky. of flic Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company.

Arriving before the other guests, Mr Eric Robot counted them as they walked through a beam of light. Erie refused to he looled when sceptics waved their hands through the beam. He coughed, but would not register a number.

He next demonstrated his ability as a fireman. A tank containing an inflammable mixture was placed in a beam of light focussed on the electric eyes by means of which the Robot sees and work's. A' lighted match wartossed into the tank, and the instant the beam was crossed by smoky flames the mechanism released carbon dioxide, which extinguished the fii'P a.mid loin applause. ABLE TO MATCH COLOURS.

It was proved that Fric could son materials according to colour or imperfections. and could match fabrics and naint more accurately than the human eye. Small packages were moved before these observant eyes, and if one nackage was defective or without a hihel the Robot seized it and placed it on one side.

AH these activities ef the Robot are achieved by the reaction of the photoelectric cell to light.