AN INGENIOUS ROGUE.

Kumara Times, Issue 645, 22 October 1878, Page 3

AN INGENIOUS ROGUE.

At Bow street Police Court, Reuben Allander Berson, described as a doctor of divinity, Oxford University, formerly a Jew, but now a Christian, was finally examined before Sir James Ingham on an extradition warrant held by Sergeant Reimers, of Scotland Yard, charging him with having stolen money and property to a considerable amount, the property of Johann Umann, glass manufacturer, of Tiefenbach, Austria. Six or seven years ago the prisoner answered an advertisement issued by the prosecutor foi? a good linguist to act as English and foreign correspondent to the firm. The prisoner accepted the appointment, at a salary of 1300 florins per annum, with board and lodging. He arrived, took possession of the apartments allotted to him iu his employer's house, obtaiued an advance of money, on the plea that his own remittance from English banks had been delayed, and during the first night absconded with two large chests of plate and other goods, and returned to England. Some months after his arrival in London he was tried for bigamy and sentenced to five years' imprisonment. His extiatlition being now demanded for the former offence, the prisoner, in his defence, said that he was in reality wanted for a " political" offence, which was not recognised by the treaty; and he further contended that the date of the alleged felony and embezzlement was anterior to the signing of the treaty with Austria, which was not retrospective. He also disputed the evidence hs to his identity; but some letters which he had addressed to Sir James Ingham from the prison, and which he admitted having written, proved to he in the same hand as the letters add rosed by him to the prosecutor when be applied for the situation. Mr Leopold Goldberg, on behalf of the Austrian authorities, denied that there was the slightest ground for the imputation made by the prisoner that he was wanted for a political offence, which was a mere pretext to delay the proceedings. Sir James Ingham said it was obvious that the allegatiou was unfounded. There was no power to ask or to grant extradition for a political offence and the prisoner could only be tried abroad for the offence named in the indictment. The extradition ®f the prisoner was then ordered.—Times.