EASY MONEY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 212, 26 November 1927, Page 12

EASY MONEY

ROGUE MAKES 4,000 FRANCS TAX FOR BOGUS MARRIAGE A youth named Paul Ancel lias emulated the notorious "Captain Koepenick” in playing an extraordinary trick on a peasant living on a lonely farm in the blue Alsatian mountains, near Colmar. Th*e farmer has the reputation of being rich. In his household is a woman who has passed as his wife for 30 years, but to whom he has never been married. Hiring a taxi-cab at Colmar, Paul Ancel drove to the farm and introduced himself as the secretary of the Prefect of the department. “You are probably awaije,” he said, “that the French Government has introduced heavy tax on all couples who live as husband and wife. “I have been sent by the Prefect to make an estimate of your fortune and collect the tax.” The peasants nearly collapsed when, after much calculation, the young “official” anounced that they had to pay him a tax of 4,000 francs. “And you had better pay it on the spot if you do not want the gendarmes to come and fetch you to-morrow,” he declared. ‘‘But,” added the “official,” “I will do something for you. To avoid this tax next year, I can obtain from my chief, the Prefect, permission to marry you on the spot.” While the farmer went to another room to fetch the 4,000 francs, the “official” produced an old army gasmask. This he used as a “wireless telephone” to communicate with the Prefecture at Colmar! In the presence of the astounded peasants. he “telephoned” to M. le Prefect, and finally said that .lie had obtained permission to perform their marriage. He produced a few documents, to which the couple, who could neither read nor write, put their crosses. Pocketing the 4.000 francs. Ancel. placing the man and woman in front of him, and holding his hand above their neads, said, in a grave and solemn voice, “In the name of the law. you are legally husband and wife.” After congratulating the bridal pair, the thief returned to Colmar in his taxi-cab. Next day the “newly-married” farmer told the mayor, and learned that he had been swindled. Ancel was arrested at Colmar.