SPRINGS OF HOPE

NZ Truth, Issue 1206, 10 January 1929, Page 7

SPRINGS OF HOPE

How Baxter- Cole Generates Them In Human Breast LEG-PULLING ABOUT LEGACIES.

"So successful have we been m tracing 1 people inquired for, and have received such consideration from grateful clients, that we are now m a position to reduce our fee to the cost of search." Isn't it nice for a man to take thg trouble to send a letter (containing the above sentence), from Sydney, N.S.W., to persons m New Zealand, giving them hope that they may be heirs to a fortune which only awaits the claiming?

HOW nice to receive such a screed covering a whole sheet of foolscap and to know that there is a philanthropist across the Tasman who is not only willing, but anxious, to do a good turn just for the bare cost. A gesture of unselfishness such as this is enough to make hope for the New Year, not only spring, but leap, to choking point m the human melon's breast. ■ In Australia Ernest William Baxter, alias A. Cole, has been described as "Prince of Blackmailers" and one of the most notorious and ' dangerous scoundrels our neighbors have ever known. ' , Sydney "Truth" has warned the public about him, and has demanded that he should be booted out, and an end put to his knavish, tricks. ..

A man recently brought into "Truth's" Auckland office one of blackguard Baxter-Cole's plausible effusions which reads:

"A COLE'S PRIVATE INVESTIGATING SERVICE. "Registered. Estd. 1914. "Representatives Throughout Australasia and United Kingdom. "New Zealand Inquiries. "Next- of -kin, Heirs at Law and cases of Unclaimed Money, Missing Friends 'j'raeed, any part of Commonwealth or New Zealand; Searches, Wills, etc.; Certificate of Birth, Death, Marriage of any person m the British Empire; Secret and Confidential Inquiries and Commissions carried out; Copy of any Advertisement that Jaas appeared m any newspaper m Australia and New Zealand since 1900. ' Our service is the most reliable and up-to-date m the Commonwealth. "12 Bourke Street, Sydney. E. "When a person dies and has no knowledge of his relations or friends Dther than that they reside somewhere n Australia or New Zealand, and who eaves his money or property to those >eople, without giving their address, -dvertisementa are Inserted m the

Cole's Effusion

newspapers throughout the Commonwealth and New Zealand asking for the missing people. "The great majority of the persons advertised for are never found, for the simple reason they never see the advertisement, or know they have been inquired for, so the money or property they should receive Jies waiting for them to claim, and they may never know of it. There are also the personal estates of soldiers deceased, and the friends • and relatives of deceased soldiers inquired for. "The amount of money and property awaiting the thousands of claimants m Australia and New Zealand is something enormous."

Baxter- Cole then goes further to tempt the possible mug thus: "A person (or relations) that have been extensively advertised for is one Thomas (the surname being the same as

" that of his wouldbe victim) next-of-ldn." This is followed up by the statement that Baxter-Cole can supply a copy of the advertisement, together with particulars, including date and name of the newspaper it appeared m. "We supply this for the small fee of ten shillings," is the added information. ' . ■ i ' The man who gave "N.Z. Truth" his letter, was not an easy mark for this form of confidence trick. He said he thought that there were about 500 or 600 people of his name m the Dominion, and he was not aware of anyone who was likely to have died, and left him any cash — he had no delusions on that score. But he thought it was up to this paper to know that one of Cole's kidney was trying to work New Zealand. ' , . .

There are hundreds of people who would fall for this particular form of "mug-stake," and they are not confined to the so-called uneducated, for there is a host of silly old women and men who swallow bait, hook and sinker, and keep