BIRKENHEAD’S BLUFF

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 6, 29 March 1927, Page 3

BIRKENHEAD’S BLUFF

SWINDLERS OUTWITTED SCHEME THAT FAILED No less a personage than the present Secretary of State for India was the hero of an episode in which the tables were completely turned on two members of a gang of confidence tricksters who have been “working” Continental resorts in recent months. Somewhere in London at this moment are two crestfallen knaves who owe their exposure to him, says the “Sunday News.” The good fortune which normally attends the machinations of this type of rogue, seems to have deserted the pair -when their fate took them to the hotel at Funchal, Madeira, where Lord Birkenhead and his family were living. Familiarity breeds a dangerous contempt, and this couple of confidence men had already had some most distinguished victims in their winter campaign in the Riviera towns, a well known French industrial magnate having parted with many thousands of francs to them at Alonte Carlo. Accordingly the position and formidable mental equipment of Lord Birkenhead did not in any way intimidate them. They had come to Madeira when the Riviera grew too hot to hold them, and they were determined to exploit the foreign visitors for what they were worth. The first steps in the little conspiracy came with the artful building up of a modern asquaintance with Lord Birkenhead, an acquaintance which passed rapidly, by dint of pushing tactics, to brief conversational exchanges. Lord Birkenhead displayed no readiness to return the friendly overtures of the two, and, unknown to them, was already examining both them and their conduct in a severely critical manner which rapidly developed into covert suspicion. Then one day the ingenious pair proceeded to put their plan into exein the lounge of the hotel reading an cution. Lord Birkenhead was sitting English newspaper and smoking a cigar, when he became aware than an interesting conversation of a literary nature had sprung up near him. The two men whom already he had marked down for his aversion were disputing about the spelling of certain words in English. Finally, “Let’s make a game of it,” said one. “I challenge you to a spelling bee.” “Right,” said the other, “only why only the two of us? Perhaps’’—raising his voice—“ Lord Birkenhead would like to join in.” Lord Birkenhead continued to read his newspaper unheeding. “Yes,” said the first man, “a good idea.” Then, so that Lord Birkenhead could not ignore it, “Will you, sir, who are such a great student of the English language, care to join us in a spelling bee?” The newspaper went down; the cigar was removed, and the surprise of the two can be better imagined than described when Lord Birkenhead retorted:— “I do not know you, and I never want to meet you again. You have forced your attention upon' me, a procedure I never allow, nor will I allow you to press upon me any competition by which you think you may overcome a stranger.” A Diving Challenge As the discomfited men were turning away Lord Birkenhead said to one of them:* — “If you vvish to lose £IOO I will dive you from the top spring-board of the swimming-pool to-morrow at 11 o’clock.” Before he could recover from the shock the man had sheepishly accepted the challenge. Lord Birkenhead, who has won many prizes for diving, kept the appointment, but to the disappointment of a large crowd the trickster did not turn up. Later, in the hotel, his lordship played his trump card in this great game of bluff. The Trump Card. In the presence of many guests Lord Birkenhead asked the man for the £IOO forfeit and received evasive replies. The man’s companion became abusive, whereupon Lord Birkenhead gave the pair half an hour in which to pay their hotel bill and take their departure. As a matter of fact the Secretary for India knew nothing of the men’s history, but his bluff succeeded. “We will leave at once, but don’t give us into- custody,” was the pathetic plea. The two men got into touch with Commander O. Locker-Lampson, who was also staying at Funchal, and he recognised one of them as a man who had served gallantly under him in Russia, and advanced their fare to England. The men travelled back on the same boat as the commander and admitted to him that they had been cleverly outwitted. After leaving the* boat in England the rogues wrote to Commander Locker-Lampson promising to refund | the money and signing the letter i "Your devoted adherents.”