BITERS BITTEN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3733, 20 December 1906, Page 4

BITERS BITTEN.

Confidence trick men are evidently very busy in London just now. In a recent issue of the Daily Mail was published a letter showing how “ A Colonial ” upset the scheme of two of these rogues; and sudsequently another correspondent checkmated the same two swindlers.

It seems as if the repeated exposures or this trick are at last putting people on their guard against these plausible swindlers.

The second correspondent, an American visitor, was accosted in the Strand by “Mr Watson” —singularly enough, the same name as used in the case of “A Colonial”—who represented himself to be an Australian mining engineer. He was a short, stout man, with a reddish grey moustache, and was dressed in a grey tweed suit, and wore a black bowler hat. "Watson’ invited the Americans to drink with him and they adjourned to a publichouse opposite the Law Courts. Here they were joined by a “ Mr Austin,” an elderly, grey-haired man, with a dark moustache and a very red face. He was, from his accent, evidently a Yorkshire-man.

Austin represented himself as having just won a lawsuit for £II,OOO ‘‘over the way,” and said his solicitor had advanced him £507, at the same time showing an open pocket-book with the roll of notes inside. “ Watson ” warned " Austin ” not to show his money, as there were a lot of dishonest people about. As an appreciation of this good advice, “ Austin ” invited the American and “ Watson ” to luncheon at the Holborn Restaurant, for which he paid. GENEROUS. After luncheon “ Watson,” to show his confidence in 14 Austin,” gave the latter £24 in gold, which, said “ Austin,” “we will go out and spend for him.” The American and Austin then left and proceeded to a jeweller’s shop. “1 am going,” said Austin, “to buy that man the finest ring that money can buy. He has trusted me, and I don’t care if I spend £IOO on him.” But strange to say, there was nothing good enough in the shop, and the two returned to the restaurant where Austin apparently returned the money to Watson with a large sum over. They followed the usual dodge of trying to induce the American to show the same trust in Austin. But the American did not accept the kind invitation and on the party visiting another restaurant Austin quietly slipped away, followed by his fellow swindler.

The American says that lunch and cigars.were excellent, and he is glad of an opportunity ot thanking Messrs Austin and Watson for their hospitality. MrO. R. Lewis, of Tipton, Staffordshire, has apparently also been accosted by one of the pair of confidence men referred to by other correspondents. He writes: “ I should be pleased to read of ‘ Watson ’ being laid by the heels. Some twelve months ago I came in contact with (I feel sure) the same man. I was passing along Charing Cross down the Strand to Haxell’s Hotel. When about fifty yards from the hotel i was touched with a stick from behind. I immediately turned round, and a fellow said, ‘ Hello, how are you ?’ Being a little suspicious, I stared, but made no reply. He then said, ‘ You know me, don’t you ? My name’s Watson.’ I said I could not call him to mind. He said, ‘ I know you well enough. Come and have a drink.’ We then went to a place near, and ordered a ‘ Scotch ’ far himself and a small ‘ Bass ’ for me. Would I toss which paid for the two ? I did, and promptly lost, and paid. By this time I knew he was 9. ‘ crook,’ so said I was in a hurry and left him. I well remember he was about sft sm, and had a dark sandy moustache, and rather sallow complexion.”