A New Game.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 105, 11 April 1883, Page 2

A New Game.

THE SEWING-MACHINE SWINDLE IN DTJNED.IN.

(BY TELEGRAPH) I (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) ; Dunedin, April 10. , The man Dobbie, who got four years at the last sitting of the Supreme Court for the larceny of sewing-machines, had conducted an organised swindle of which many were made the victims. He and those who were m Court with him actually m some cases took small tene» ments far a week or two, ancL put furniture m them, then, giving a false name, had machines given to them on the time-payment principle— perhaps one from each dealer. Dobbie at once left the house, and bad the number of the machiDe filed down so that it could not be seen. In tha Wertheim's Company's cases, however, this was unavailing, as its machines were numbered m two places unknown to Dobie. The dealers here first began to suspect this swindle | through so many persons appearing on their list of purchasers as defaulters. Another plan was where Dobbie or his colleagues learnt a bona fide .purchaser was behind m the time payment, theu ■ they would boldly go to the house and state they had been sent to demand the machine, and m most cases got it. They disposed of those they stole principally m the country di5trict5. ..,.,...,. ; ...