ARREST OF SWEEP PROMOTERS IN MELBOURNE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 10, 17 November 1883, Page 4

ARREST OF SWEEP PROMOTERS IN MELBOURNE.

Ths Arm of the 27th ult, says—" A few weeks ago orders were received by Mr Kennedy, at the head of the detective department, from the Chief Commissioner of Police, for evidence to be collected which would convict certain sweep promoters. Detective Nixon was entrusted with the case, t., * at that time he was engaged in “ * ll important cases at the Central CrimisK 9 0urfc ’ business having of ’ bedevoted the Wu’ 01 ® of hlB energies at the beginning of the month to the sweep cases. He commenc.ed by cutting the difiefk At advertisements out of the daily and P»J*w> and answering them by' enclosing cheques or stamps. The promote-a of the different sweeps were, hcM ■ ever, in many instances very wary, 8* they returned the orders without comment. So far, the detective department proceeded much in the same manner as last year, and with a similar result. When, however, Detective Nixon, who is an old and astute officer got full charge of the case, he went to work in a slightly different manner. That his plans were successful there can be no doubt, as on Wednesday last he was in a position to lay such information before Mr Call, P.M., as warranted that gentleman in issuing warrants-for the arrest of the offenders. The searching of the premises known as those of ‘ Orient,” care of W. Sinclair, Eastern Arcade ; * Piermont,’ care of Schibilick, Little Collins street east; 1 Centaur,’ care of R. P. Hunen,’ printer, Post office place ; and ‘ Occidental,’ of box No. 79, J. W., care of J. W. Pordam, Post office. The officer in charge yesterday morning watched the premises occupied by Orient, and at about 10 o’clock saw him with three men, named Sinclair, Stanley, and Schmidt enter the premises. Subsequently the place was formally entered, when the detective police obtained possession of a large number of tickets, prospectuses, letters, cheques, Post-office orders, and postage stamps. These articles were, as a matter of course, taken possession of by the police, and the suspected parties arrested. The detectives next proceeded to the premises of Ottomer Shieblich, watchmaker and jeweller, 17 Little Collins street east, where a large quantity of books, papers, letters, tickets, cheques, and Post-office orders were found connecting Shieblich with the ‘Diamond’ sweep. He and all the persons found on the premises including Frederick Skinner, Thomas | Gilman, George Addis, Thomas Bal-1 lenaria, and Bertram Jude, were arrested and taken to the Detective Office, where they were detained with the others. The next move was made to the premises of R. P. Hurren, printer, of Post-office place, who had been advertised as the promoter of the * Centaur ’ sweep on the Melbourne Cup of 1883. In this establishment the officers found cheques, post-office orders, and letters sent by Sergeant Nixon for tickets in the sweep. The proprietors, R. P. Hurren, James Hurren (his brother), ! and Herbert Jones, Joseph Fanning, and P. M. Leslie, were arrested and taken to the detective office. The place occupied by Frederick Hunter who has been advertising himself as the promoter of the 1 Occidental' sweep, under the name of ‘J, W, Fordham,' Box 79, Post-office Melbourne, was next visited. His house is situated at 64, Swan street Richmond, and ia kept as a barber's shop. The officers, however, found a large quantity of material connecting Hunter with the 1 Occidental' sweep, to- i gather with cheques and letters sent him by Sergeant Nixon. Hunter and a young man named Chadwick, who were found in the house, were arrested, and conveyed to the city lock up. The whole proceedings were so well managed that the outside public were utterly ignorant of any move being made in the matter until late in the evening.” The prisoners have since been brought before the City Bench, and remanded for a week.