"TO BAIL MR. BROWN OUT."

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 101, 29 April 1916, Page 6

"TO BAIL MR. BROWN OUT."

MEAN CONFIDENCE TRICK. WORKED ON AUCKLAND VISITOR. A peculiarly impudent and also contemptible theft, Avas perpetrated in Auckland on Saturday by a man, who called on a woman who was spending the Easter holiday in Auckland, informed her that her husband had been arrested down the street for being drunk and fighting, and persuaded her to give him £1 with which to go and bail the husband out of police custody. The woman, a Mrs. Brown, saw no more that day of the kindly friend, but though her natural perturbation about her husband was allayed when Mr. Brown arrived home from the races perfectly sober and well, she became very angry when she found 'out that the £1 had been got out of her by means of a confidence trick. It seemed that Mr. Brown and his wife had arrived in town from the country on Thursday, and in the course of inquiring on the -'wharf about a former friend Mr. Brown had met a man who said he knew the friend's address. After a chat with the man, Mr. B'rown treated him to a drink or two, and left with him the address of the place at which he and his wife were staying, in order that it might be passed on to the friend. Next day this man s aw Mr. Brown set out for the races, and, having the address, he called on Mrs. Brown, announced her spouse's mythical lapse from sobriety and arrest, and' preferred assistance in bailing poor Mr. Brown out. 'When the agitated wife produced the £1 for bail money, the "friend" seized it, and said he would see the business through much more quickly than she could manage it, as he had been a cook at the police station and was favourably known to the officials. So he left on his errand of mercy with the £l, and was not seen again till he was located and arrested yesterday evening, somewhat the worse for liquor, by Detective Powell. The worker of the confidence trick was a married man named Kenneth Munro (33), who worked on the wharf.

When the man came before the Police Court this morning Detectivehad not actually been in trouble before, but his reputation was not good. Sergeant Hollis stated that accused He had never at any time been a cook at the police station, and his statement to that effect indicated a deliberate premeditated intent to steal Mrs. Brown's £l, this after he had been the recipient of hospitality by Mr. Brown.

Munro said he was so drunk he' didn't know what he was doing, and besides, he saw a man .whom he thought looked like Mr. Brown arrested on the street for drunkenness on Saturday. He was convicted, and sentenced to seven days' hard labour.

The price of benzine is high, but that does not matter when you drive a Chevrolet, because the >consumpr tion per mile is so very low, and the price is still £24s.—Stanley Peyton, Agent.

When next you bake scone, rolls or cakes, use SHARLAND'S Baking Powder —and watch the mrise! Costs less than others —worth more.

Do you collect "Camels?" Remember, DESERT GOLD TEA Competition closes 30th July. £SO in prizes.