RINGING THE CHANGES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9121, 14 April 1908, Page 6

RINGING THE CHANGES.

The time-honored criminal method of earning a dishonest penny 'known to the craft and che police as “ringing the changes’’ or “the Brummagem hustle,’ ’ made its appearance at Wellington Magistrate’s Court on Friday, after a considerable interval in the background. The fact that no cases have come before the'Gourfc for a long time, however, does not signify that the changes have not been 'rung, because they are frequently rung so cleverly that the victims know nothiug’about it. The Brummagem bustlers, according to the police, are generally the lower' type of spieler, or a spieler proper who is "down on his lack and “ wants to get off the mark” again. The swindle, which _ia invariably worked by two men, is ran something on the following, lines,, although the methods of each company of thieves naturally vary a little. The two operators make their way to a likely-looking shop, froqeutly a confectioner’s establishment, and one goes inside and asks for six pennyworth of cakes. He puts down half a sovereign and is given 9s 6d change. Suddenly, as though he has just discovered the fact, the thief says he has got sixpence, and says to the shopman, “Give me the half-sovereign, ” |at the same time putting down the sixpence. The half-sovereign is placed on the counter, alongside the 9s 6d, the rush of events and the attractive small talk of the operator meanwhile engaging the shopman, or shopgirl for preference. The thief, pursuing his end for all lie is worth, then says he has too much silver to carry conveniently, and asks for a£l note in place of the change on the counter. He pushes his own halfsovereign, the 9s 6d of the shopman, and his own sixpence across the counter and gets the £l. At this stage thief No. 2 appears on the scene to draw the shop assistant’s mind off the transaction. He is in a great hurry to catch a tram, and hustles the assistant to give him his sixpennywotrh of biscuits, or some such small goods, immediately. By this time, if the scheme has been worked successfully, as it generally is, No 1 has got his £1 for 10s 6d, and departs as quickly as he can. The swindle, although, it appears i iumsy on paper, has brought many a pound to a clever spieler.—Dominion.