A FORGER FRUSTRATED.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2597, 18 July 1881, Page 3

A FORGER FRUSTRATED.

A curious case of attempted fraud is chronicled by the chatty writer of “ Gossip ”in the “ Argus ” ;—“ In Berlin, it seems, it is customary for those who wish to make their wills to do so at a public office. In case of illness, of course, this cannot be done, and notice is sent that certain officials should visit the would-be testator at his own house. Application was thus made on behalf of a certain merchant. In course of the enquiries as to identity, the sick man’s attendant called the landlord, who testified to the invalid having been his lodger for a long time. The lawyers then began to prepare a codicil, when a noise was heard on the staircase, and a man demanded admittance, which was at first refused him. On gaining his point he said * That man yonder is not the man he pretends to be. The merchant whose name he assumes lies dead in the next room.’ And to it proved. The would-be forger was a relative whose name did not appear in the original will, and who wished to supply that omission. There is a romance in real life for you 1 ”