SUSPECTED RACING SWINDLE. SEIZURE OF TOTALISATORS.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 516, 6 May 1880, Page 3

SUSPECTED RACING SWINDLE. SEIZURE OF TOTALISATORS.

At the Auckland Races two totalisators were seized and the proprietors arrested. During the morning there were repeated complaints heard of the totalisators having been tampered with, and in the afternoon the police were informed that there was great swindling going on in connection with one of the machines. They wore informed that in the St. George’s Handicap four tickets had been taken and four numbers registered on the totalisator, but when the four people who put their money on King Quail came to the totalisator . for their winnings, they found that the numbers had been altered to fourteen, and Messrs. Richards and Corb -tt offered them each onc-fourteei.t'i instead of ono-fourth of the net proceeds. These two gentlemen are accused of having put the total up to 107 to make the numbers tally, but the four speculators, backed up Ivy an indignant public, refused to have it, and there was a great row. The stewards were called for, and police sent for, and as Inspector Partly was seen approaching, the proprietors offered to pay the four their fourth and proper share of the pool, which was £53. Thus, by an alteration to 14 from 4, it left the institution a net sum of T36, over and above the commission they were entitled to. Inspector Pardy, Sergt. Mason, Detective Jeffrey, and others, of the force, came up at the double quick march, surrounded the totalisator, and the citadel' was rushed. On entering, Mr Felton was found engaged inside fulfilling the duties of clerk, and lie, with Messrs. Richards and Corbett, was at once arrested, and confiscation made of the instruments, tickets, stamps, and appendages necessary to the true and faithful distribution of tickets on the totahsator. There was also a bag of money seized, and amid the greatest possible tumult the accused were incracerated in the lock-up on the course. After the Selling Race another totalisator storm arose. Mr. Adams, was alleged to have added two to his numbers. The police made another raid, and took possession of the instrument and its manager, who was unassisted. This caused a fresh storm of indignation in the public mind. Ultimately Inspector Pardy gave the order for the men to be marched to the train, and the procession left the course. Sergeant Mason walked in front, two lines of constables followed, between whom were the totalisator proprietors, while Inspector Pardy and several hundred excited spectators brought up the rear. Detective Jeffrey came to town afterwards with a cart laden with the booty. A respectable looking man turned up later with a fifth ticket on KingQuail, so that makes confusion worse confounded for the totalisator; the ticket was taken possession of by Detective Joffrc3’and deposited with'the; other relics. Mr. Corbett explains the change of numbers as follow,—He says there were four numbers up showing that four people had invested. After the race had been run thcr e was number 14 up, and he thought that number had made investment, but some one '.outside’-must have turned the barrel round, and niadc the four conic out fourteen instead ;of the proper number There were only four tickets shown up, and he paid them all. After it was disputed, and when the claimants came for the money, he first of all offered them on;a fourteenth, which wauld lihve left him £36 over and above his commission, and added, “llow could any man do such a thing *s that ? It was a mistake altogether.” Mr. Adams declares lie acted, fairly , with Ids own 'instrument/ and is forming a committee of those who took tickets in.tlieJaelling Race to? fully investigate the matter ; '■. —♦— —— \ , ; English brides are photographed inlinediately after the wedding ceremony, before starting on their'journey, A bright idea. Thej'; never look so pleasant and happy after their-rcturn.- - : . There’s , one good thing, about these wide .belts ; thej’ keep , the human arm froiu marking tlid dress. That is, so we have been t01d,,. . ~,

SHOOTING A PRIEST AT THE ALTAR. . ' ' • : SOCIALIST OUTRAGE. A dreadful sacrilegous outrage lias been committed in London, at the Italian Catholic Chapel in Hatton Garden, Holborn. The chapel is attended by poor Italians resident in the metropolis, and had been decorated for Christmas tide. On the 10th January, 10 o’clock mass was being celebrated by the Rev, Father Bokanowski, a Polish priest. Just as the elevation was taking place a shot was fired at, the priest-by a person in .the body of the church... This took effect in the altar. The server attending on the priest fled into the sacristy and locked the door. The priest, on following, was unable to enter ere his assailant fired more shots, one lodging in the crown of the arch over the sacristy door, and the other,in the side of the door. The priest then ran round (ho back of the altar, closely porsued by the would-be murderer. The reverend father succeeded in getting round to the front of the church and escaped. Two more shots were fired after him, one piercing the back of a chair. The man then rushed to the back of the alter, and seizing some of the massive candlesticks dashed them to the ground, breaking .them to fragments, although constructed of solid metal. Proceeding to the front, he went up the altar steps and wrenched away the door and fiameworkof (lie tabernacle. The force reguired to do so may be imagined when it is stated that the door itself is a plate of metal of considerable thickness ; the screws had been snapped like matchwood. Seizing the pyx and chaliso ho bent them into distoi jed shapes by his violence. The altar linen and antependium we r e ignited either by (he falling candles or by the man lighting some matches, a supply of which were afterwards found in his pocket. The incidents wore the work of a few moments. The congregation at first were struck with panic at the audacity and sacrilege of the perpetrator, but, quickly recovering, extinguished the flames, and some of the members of the congregation surrounded the man and and

removed from his person the revolver and dagger used in his pursuit of the priest. On the arrival of the police the man was removed to Clerkemvell police cou. He is a German named Alexander Schossa, 35 years old. The motive of his offence is a mystery, as he was a complete stranger to the Church, its priests and conrcgation knowing nothing of him. * Impassioned lover, quoting Moore in a whisper : “ Our couch shall be roses bespangled with dew.” Practical shop girl : “ It would give me rheumatics, and so it would you.” Anotiikr Industry is about to be started in Pictun by Mr Norgrove, who purposes trying the breeding and culture of oysters on a largo scale. A smokehouse has been erected on the western shore of the hay, and the owner means to turn out cured fish of good quality.