THE “GOLD-BRICK” MAN

Shannon News, 1 June 1926, Page 4

THE “GOLD-BRICK” MAN

A WILY SWINDLER HOW BEREAVED ARE ROBBED. With the approach of spring the “gold brick,” export has again blossomed forth (says a London paper), and Scotland Yard has issued a warning to people who receive letters from “a gold brick” expert who, writing from an address at Woodstock, Ontaria, Canada, signs himself as William Cameron., This philanthropist gold miner apparently closely studies the English newspapers, arid when particulars: of legacies are published he writes to the person who has died regretting that he has not written for such a long period, but that his gold mine, which he has almost given up as hopeless, was lying yielding “forty to fifty ounces of gold a day, the quartz beirig smashed with an ordinary ham* mer.’’

Thus h e pretends to be ignorant of the man’s death. When this letter is read by the dead man's relatives they often write to the “gold miner” acquainting him with the sad news. Bursting With Gold.” Then "Williaih Cameron” cables his sympathy to the relatives in England. " A “follow-up” letter comes later from Canada, in which Cameron states that “Thomas” a Canadaian gold miner who was his partner, has "gone to a higher elevation,” and for that reason he is now in charge of the mine, which is simply bursting with gold. He adds that “Thomas” just before he passed away, insisted that his hare in the mine should be passed on to the relatives in England, Cameron explains that he is closely guarding the secret of his gold-yield-ing plot of land, and urges one or other of the relatives in England to come out to New York to complete formal arrengements to “share and share alike." His last letter was received recently by a family in North London ,and it was only at the last moment that they grew suspicious and the communicated with the police, who suggested the inadvisability of the intended trip to New York. The £IO,OOO Brick.

Cameron mentioned in his letters that' when they arrived in New York he would show them a brick of sold worth £IO,OOO. He suggested that they should bring a considerable sum of money; as this will be of use in greatly increasing the output of the mine.” The lasjt phrase ef tho “gold brick swindle”'reaches in climax in New York, where the victim is met and taken to a first-class hotel. He is «|hown legal-looking documents and books which show that the gold mine is flourishing. The gold brick, “worth £IO,OOO (which consists of common metal coated with gold) is produced from the strong room of a bank. When the gold miner, to prove the matter to the hilt, suggests a visit to an expert to have the brick the victim agress, Hut the precious metal expert” is a accomplice o Cameron’s. At last the victim parts with a considerable sum of money, and an appointment is made for the following day. Thai is the day that the victim realises the truth and the American adage that “one is born every minute.