Showmen in Trouble

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 35, 11 February 1937, Page 2

Showmen in Trouble

ARRESTS IN DANNEVIRKE Two showmen, Herbert Allan Bowie and James Maurice O’Connor, appeared in the Dannevirke Magiotrate’s Court on Tuesday morning before Mr. N. Webley, J.l*. Bowie, who appeared for default of maintenance, was discharged, the complaint being withdrawn on payment of arrears to date. The circumstances attending O ’Connor’s arrest were unusual. Ho went to the police station to mak) inquiries regarding the defendant Bowie, and the police believed him to be a man wanted in connection with a case at Dunedin. Ho was asked to return for some reason, and then was taken in charge by Constable Thomassen and Detective O. Power (Palmerston North). O’Connor was charged that on September 14, 1936, at Dunedin, ho did with intent to defraud, obtain from Frances Reid tho sum of £6 by means of a certain false pretence, to wit, by falsely representing that he had had an accident to a hand in a sawmill at Balciutha, and that he was on his way to see his solicitor, Mr. O’Leary, of Wellington, and was certain of £250 damages. Defendant was remanded to appear at Napier on February 16. SHOW PATRON LOSES £l6. A man from Te Rehunga is alleged to have lost £lO through sharp practice by showmen at the showgrounds. As far as can be ascertained, the money changed hands in the following manner: The man saw what was ostensibly another patron win £4O, and endeavours were made to induce him to take part iu the game. He refused, but one of the gang declared that he (tho show patron) had lost £2O. The latter thereupon pulled a roll of £lB from his pocket and stated that he could not have lost £2O, as he possessed only £lB. Almost before the role of notes was shown it had disappeared—and in a few seconds tho showman had followed suit. A search was unsuccessful, but a man who was helping the patron in his quest won £4 in another game, and handed £2 to the Te Rehunga fellow with the remark that it was his. The money was accepted gladly, as can be

imagined, but the remainder is not likely to be regained so easily. This get-rich-quick method is on the lines of one followed at the Feilding show. One showman to advertise his stall (according to him) stated that ho was distributing first-class fountain pena to men who were financial. Ap parently all that was necessary to qualify for a pen was to prove that one had money. One patron was induced to write a cheque for £so—just to show that he had money—and the showman then burned what was supposed to be the cheque. Though the sleight-of-hand was good, the patron had his doubts, and set them at rest by stopping payment. This had been done only a matter of minutes when the cheque was presented at a Palmerston North bank. The result of prompt action was that the showman’s confederate came away empty-handed, but a little delay before deciding to stop payment would have meant the loss of £SO. It seems that even the boßt laid plans of showmen sometimes mis-carry.