A SWINDLER.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2088, 1 December 1879, Page 2

A SWINDLER.

On Saturday Fred Neiber was charged, before his Worship the Mayor of Waimate, with obtaining goods and money by false pretences. The accused was remanded (ill Thursday. Neiber was a bushman in Waimate, when one day, about fiveor six months ago, an advertisement appearing in one of the Sydney newspapers enquiring after one Fred Neiber, and announcing the death of a mate who had left him property to the value of £SOOO. To this Mr Neiber replied, and at once made preparation for his departure for Sydney, with the avowed intention of seeing the property. He borrowed money sufficient to pay the passage, and then took his departure. He was absent about fifteen or sixteen days, when he returned with a statement that the property was likely to realise about £6OOO, but that he had only stopped one day and night in Sydney, and that was a Sunday, consequently he could not give many particulars. He expected it would bo three months, at all events, before he could get any settlement of his affairs, and that he might possibly require to return again to Sydney and sell the place himself. In the meantime ho proposed to quietly settle down in Waimate, and on the strength of his story he borrowed further advances of money, took unto himself a wife, and prepared to build a house, procuring the timber, &c. Things went on smoothly for a time until those w'ho were most interested in Mr Neiber's welfare heard he was about taking a trip to Dunedin or elsewhere, and that his boxes were addressed in a false name. This circumstance led them to make further enquiry, when it was ascertained that he had been seen in Invercargill, and was about to embark for Sydney. A gentleman from Wairaatejtook the train and proceeded thither,hoping not only to get what was owing to himself, but also to secure a share for the other unfortunates. Itia needless to say thathis expedition was a failure, so far as the recovery of money was concerned, but Neiber was secured, and he will non* be called upon to explain to the Bench the particulars connected with his big Australian estate and his sudden flight from Waimate.