PLENTY OF NERVE.

Shannon News, 10 July 1925, Page 4

PLENTY OF NERVE.

SIGNED CHEQUE FOR £2OQO. MAN’S REMARKABLE CAREER. For sheer nerve 'and audacity the police have never met the equal of a man who has been operating in the city for the past three months, making a good living by illegal methods (says a Sydney paper). He has signed cheques as “Sir John James" and "Brownie Carslake," the well-known English jockey, has represented himself as being the son of a wealthy squatter with a lot of time and money at his disposal, and, the police say, has played numerous other parts. Detective Sergeants Anderson, Comans, H. Thompson and Detectives Gilbert, Geldart and Alehin, who arrested a man at Redfern, have made many remarkable discoveries concerning the activities of a certain individual. , It is said that during the time he has been at work he has signed cheques to the value qf, roughly £6000! One cheque only, to which he attached the signature of "Sir Johni James," was made opt for £2000.’ It was for the purchase of a ,residence in the city. The man has also attempted to purchase valuable cars from city firms for big amounts, expecting—though he j never succeeded —to get delivery of the vehicles. ' There was method in the man’s madness —he threw around cheques for big amounts for the purpose of gtiining the confidence of his intended viclims.

At Lakemba it is said he made arrangements to buy a hqme, saying he was to marry a girl who was known to .be the woman for whom he was making the purchase. His story "went down,” and it was only because she had no money handy that the woman did not lend him 10s when he asked for a “temporary loan,” saying that he had left his wallet in his sweetheart’s charge. This remarkable character, it is believed, met a number of girls for whom he promised to find lucrative positions, and, ascertaining their addresses. would visit their homes in their absence and get away with their property.

If this man wanted to play the part of a wealthy squatter’s son he would dress in riding trousers and leggings. He was a good actor. Always immaculately dressed, and well spoken, the man had a convincing manner, which carried him through. As well as charges of false pretences it is likely that a man who was arrested at Redfern by the detectives may have to answer a number of charges of stealing from dwellings. The detectives visited a room at Redfern and recovered a large amount of property.