A CLEVER FRAUD.

Taihape Daily Times, 25 April 1919, Page 2

A CLEVER FRAUD.

VANISHING- TRICK WITH ROPE OF PEARLS. Consnmate cleverness characterised a £2OO fraud perpetrated recently upon a, prominp-.it jeweller of Milan. A smart private carriage drew up before tlio jewel shop, and tlrero alighted a jo'dy-faced individual in officer's uniform, carrying his right hand "hcavi iv bandaged, .n a silken sling. Hav- :•,.,• looked over the stock of gems, ho leisurely selected several articles V) the value of £fio, chatting affably in die meantime with the proprietor. . Yvh;m t::-*- moment came to pay, the ("'r.ibled customer requested the jew"tier's kind aid to remove h's purse ! .om an inside pocket. Some twenty Jsruisiiiui lire (nearly a thousand pounds) were thus displayed on the counter, out of wliich the purchase amount was paid. The gem merchant accompanied '•is to the entrance, where the officer 'suddenly pointed to a pearl a.dviaco. displayed in the window, and a.-.ked its price. "Two thousand pounds," answered the jeweller, "and iai real bargain at that."

After a (dose inspection, the officer exclaimed.'"lt is just the very thing. I want a gift for the wife as a couvenir of my home comiiiig. But, unfortunately, I have not sufficient ready cash now, and yet I would like to have such a present in hand for our commemorative family dinner this evening. We can manage the matter if you would kindly assist me further by penning a little note to my wife: and I will then wait while my coachman drives back to procure the necessary sum.'' The jeweller consented gladly: and, taking the customer into his sonctum, he produced notc'papcr and envelopes with the firm's name printed oh them, and wrote at the officer's dictation: —■ "Dear wife, pleiasc send me round

at once, by bearer, two thousand pounds, which is urgently needed for concluding an important transaction. (Signed) llano.'''' "Why, what v. funny thing. My Christian name also is Hilary," said the jeweller in appending his signature.

This coincidence only tended to make the meeting of the two Hilarys more hilarious, and while the officer stepped outside to hand the note of instructions to the coachman, the jeweller—now in high spirits—was busily preparing to uncork a bottle of choice port.

The officer began to entertain his host with some thrilling battle yams about the Italian campaign in Albania, and how he came to have his arm smashed. Presently the coachman reappeared with the requisite funds. The seller received his £2OOO, the buyer pocketed the splendid necklace, and the meetisg ended with hearty hand-shakes. At. nightfall the jeweller Hilary went home and greeted his wife with a visage wreathed in. smiles. "So you've had a really lucky day.' 7 remarked his better-half. "Indeed I have, but how on earth have you guessed it?" "Well, the amount you sent for was somewhat larger than you've happened to want of late," said the wife. "Dominiddio." cried the jeweller, on being confronted with his autograph note. "Instead of sending it to his own wife he's changed the envelope and sent it on to mine!" Of the traclcster and the coachman accomplice, there is not the slightest trace.