ROSARY TRICK

Hokitika Guardian, 27 April 1931, Page 3

ROSARY TRICK

WELLINGTON MAN DUPED. £750 HANDED OVER. EXPERIENCE IN LONDON. A remarkable story of how easily he had been relieved ol the substantial sum of L‘7so in hard cash, by confidence men in London, -'within 48 hours of his arrival there, was told to “The Dominion” by Mr M. Dixon, ol Oriental Bay, who recently returned to Wellington from a tour ot China, Japan, Europe, England and America. Before Mr Dixon left for Home his solicitor in Wellington strongly advised him to have nothing to do with strangers in London and he went there fully aware that confidence men might be waiting to take him down with a “gold brick” story or some other l'abri cation. Why he became a vicfttn Mr Dixon cannot understand even now. He had made a study of all the known confidence tricks and considered himself one of the iasi men in the world who could be swindled »>y anyone. But Mr Dixon had not heard of the Rosary trick, and that was Jus undoing. SEEING THE SIGHTS. With the utmost confidence in himself, Mr Dixon arrived in London and commenced right away to see the sights His first visit was to the Tower of London, where he saw the Crown Jewels, the dungeons, and the Beeieaters

As lie came out of the ’Bower he called at a tearoom for refreshment, and, while seated at a table, he heard a voice speaking to him. Turning his head, Mr Dixon saw a tall well-dress-ed man, who asked in a lriendl way part of the world he hailed from. Mr Dixon said “New Zealand.” The man said “Fancy that! 1 am from Australia. lam one of those Aussies. Don't look at my rig-out. This is what we’vs got to wear in London, but. when I get back to Aussie. 1 will go back to tli old clobber again.” In course of further conversation .Mr Dixon described bis trip across Europe, and the Australian asked him to write a list of the places he had visited. He thought it would be an interesting trip for his wife to take on lior way over from Australia. T hen he went on to tell Air Dixon that it was a good idea to take something back with him out of which he could make money to finance his trip. For instance lie was taking home £I.OOO worth of diamonds, and remarked that one diamond alone, which had cost him £2O could be sold in Australia for L‘6o. Mr Dixon said lie had thought of diamonds, but lie didn’t know any tiling about them. CANTON SILKS. “Well,” said the Australian, “if you don’t know anything about them, you are wise not touch them ; but what L would advise you to go for is Canton silks.” Mr Dixon pondered over that It would not he a bad idea to invest m Canton silks. He had better meet Mie Australian again and go into the mat ter, for be might be useful in intn-ine big him to good business. II the A...» tralian had suggested another meeting it might have raised susicion in -Mi' Dixon’s mind.

On Mr Dixon’s own suggestion tin." met next day near Westminister Abbey, and on learning that Mr !>ix >n was interested in architecture, rlie Australian said he would take him * see the wonderful new Catholic Cathedral. So the pair met again next day and went to see the Catholic Cathedra] as arranged. At the cathedral the Australian drew the New Zealander's attention to the beautiful mosaics and marble columns, anti nun sad with enthusiasm, “Come and see the altar.” » A FALLEN ROSARY. Mr Dixon followed his companion to the altar, and there they saw an old man knelling in prayer. While the peni tent was absored in his religious duty Mr Dixon noticed that his rosary had fallen on to the floor beside him and at the request of the Australian he stepped forward and restored the string ot heads to the owner as he was about to leave. The old man, who gave his name ns Patrick Brady, thanked Mr Dixon, saying he would not have lost the rosary for a thousand pounds. It was, he said, given to him by Father Ryan, who had bought it from Rome, where it had been blessed by the Pope.

Leaving the cathedral, the three continued their conversation, and, on Mr tixon refusing a drink, it was agreed to go to a tea-room. There the Irishman produced a clipping from a newspaper with sensational headlines, •Windfall for Farm Hand;” “Uncle lies and leaves £400,000 to man earning K»s a week.” In the clipping was i photograph of the farmhand, and Mr Dixon saw that it was a perfect likeness to the old man, Patrick Brady who went on to .explain about his uncle’s ..ill that there were certain provisions : 'or giving money to charity. “For instance,” he said, “I could ■ivc one of you £IOOO to take to Aus'"alin and the other £IOOO for New Zealand to give away to any deserving ises you know, say, £l5O or £2OO to '■c poor widow to start her in business. You would each be entitled to a com-

mission of 10 per cent, of the money

to repay you tor your trouble.” Mr Dixon said he wouldn’t take the commission. lie would band tile money to the Mayor of Wellington for distribution, but Brady insisted that he would have to accept the commission because the will -"id so. BANK OF ENGLAND NOTES. Then Brady said the parties to whom he gave the money would have to prove that they were substantial financially, by producing a fairly large sum in Bank of Fug I ,and notes. Brady himself had a large waller stuffed with notes which -lie exhibited when presenting the newspaper clipping. Brady turned first to the Australian and asked how much money lie could show him. and lie said he had about L'9do. The Australian then went to the hank and came back shortly after with a large envelope bulging with Bank ot England notes. Mr Dixon said all he could show was £750 in Coolie's cheques, but Brady protested, insist■•g that the cheques must be turned into Bank of England notes, so Mr Dixon went off to the bank and did as liv was bidden. A WARNING EYE. While in the bank Mr Dixon saw the bank manager looking at him with a warning eye, but had no suspicion of any tiling crooked. On getting together again Bradv said lie wished to test the parties before arranging to give them the £IOOO each so he asked the Australian to trust him with his £9OO while the Australian went in search ot a stria able room in a hotel to do their business. ihe Australian handed over the money and went straight to the hotel. If he had hesitated or looked hack, th« old man said, lie would not have trusted him with the £IOOO. There tiad been others he had trusted and they iiad spent the money, so he had to be doubly sure.

When the Australian returned. Brady •handed him hack his £9OO, saying. “You have trusted mo, I "ill trust you.” Then he turned to Mr Dixon, and said. “How far will you trust me! J Air Dixon without more ado handed over his £750 in English bank notes and the other two walked out ot the hotel. . NOT SEEN AGAIN. As soon as they had left the hotel the thought Hashed through Mr Dixon’s mind, “They are confidence men,” and he rushed out alter them, but they had vanished, dubtless in a waiting motor-ear.* Mr Dixon immediately gofj in touch with Scotland Yard and secured the numbers of the bank notes, but no tracks were left by the pair of swindlers, and the only diseoverev

that was ever made in the ease was that one of the £SO notes was paid into the Bank of England by a butcher, who said he got it from a woman who in turn could not explain how it came into her possession. What still puzzles -Mr Dixon is wn.y lie never once had any suspicion that tin* two men were crooks till the money was transferred to them.