SOME UNIQUE BANK SWINDLES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 287, 28 November 1908, Page 4

SOME UNIQUE BANK SWINDLES

The recent rubbery of the London and Soulh-Wcstcni Dank, by means of .1 series of thirteen forged orders for the transference of as many fictitious accounts from uue branch to another, is unique of its kind. Nor is it ever likely to be duplicated. The banks will see to that.

Curiously enough, huwl'vor, it was paralleled iu pari some years ago by a well-known professional bank thief named Grill's, hi the aggregate this astute individual secured several hundred of poinuU by visiting branch suburban, banks and pretending to ring up the Hank of England on the telephone. Instead of .putting himself in communication with that institution, however, he was answered by a confederate. The telephone was then handed to the manager of the branch bank, who heard, as he thought, the Chief Cashier of the 'Hank of England instruct him to place so many thousands of pounds to the credit of "Mr. Griffiths, of the Standard Oil Company," which was the name and role assumed .by Griffs for the purpose of the swindle. The ruse, though simple, and not, one would imagine, above suspicion, worked quite smoothly. Grill's cashed one cheque only, and that for a small amount, at each branch establishment. Then he bowed himself out. His splendid impudence did the trick. It has never been repeated, nor would it ever again meet with success if it were attempted—for obvious reasons.

Another feat that has never been duplicated was performed by the notorious "'Captain Hevan," better known, perhaps, as the "King of Forgers." When perforated cheques were first introduced, he tilled in the original perforations on a cheque with paper pulp that was identical in colour and texture with the rest of the document. Then he re-perforated it for a much larger amount. The writing was also, of course, altered.

Unique, 100, wns the well-known case of the forger who cleverly split a number of five-pound notes in two horizontally.

On Bale by—>vv'. ROWE, New Plymot LEGISLATOKS WHO ACT LIKE POT BOYS. Parliament mad ! Yes; such things do happen, and without the aid of Suffragettes, too. Only the other day the {Bohemian Diet at Prague was the scene of an extraordinary riot. When Prince Lobkowitz, the President of the Diet, one of the great Czech nobles, refused to suspond the order of the day, as deinan!ed by the German deputies, the latter refused to allow their Bohemian collea(.gues to be heard. They broke up the lids of their desks into cudgels, and with these weapons they hammered on the floor and desks whenever Prince Lobkowitz tried to resume the business of the day.

Next the Germans assembled in force at the back of the chamber and threw volleys of books and broken desk-lid? at the President, who was trying to proceed with his address.

Finally, one German deputy devised an ingenious plan for worrying the Czechs. Plunging his hand into an inkpot, he then besmeared the faces and collars of his opponents. Other's followed his vulgar example, and fully half of the members looked like dishevelled negro minstrels before the riot was over.

The insane ink-slinging recalls a similar incident that marked the Spanish Parliamentary proceedings only the other year.

The cause was an attempt on the part of the Government to obtain authorisation to take legal proceedings against certain deputies.. For forty hours the opposition strove in every possible way to defeat the proposal." -Speaker after speaker got up and, without paying the slightest attention to the President, made speeches on the most ridiculous subjects.

One deputy made anxious enquiries as to the probable supply of stock fish -in (he country, and whether there would be enough for Fridays and fast days during the ensuing year. Another proposed "a reduction in the tariff on Jioreupines, suggesting that, porcupines might supersede pigs as material for sausages. Eventually a tierce riot to»l; place, during which ink-stands were burled in every direction, and many deputies were blackened from head to'foot with best writing fluid. We imagine our American cousins to lie 11 luisiucss-like rave. Vet even in that solemn assembly, the L'nited States Senate, startling scenes are not unknown. Some months ago there was a discussion as to whether a certain liri-gadiei-Uenoral Wood, who had been in command in Cuba, should be promoted or not. His opponents accused him of having, during his term of odice, encouraged a certain gambling game known as'\jai iilli." His friends declared that "jai alii" was a gnine of skill, and not of chance. When doubts were thrown upon this siat-ment. two of the senators brought rackets into the house and gave an exhibition of the game, which speedily convinced the re,l that the accusation was false and that the game depended! entirely upon skill.

The scene at the brouking-up of the American Mouse of Congress would simply 'paralyse the British M.l\ who witnessed it. The moment that the lust Congress was declared adjourned, Mr Wawney, of Minnesota, struck up a song in which all the rest joined heartily. Other songs followed, among them "Old Jflaek doe," "Auld Lang Syne," and a weird ditty entitled ■'There's a hole in the bottom of the sea." When the members were out uf breath the Press Gallery took a turn, and their performance! met with great applause from the iloor of the House. The Congressmen waved their hands and shouted " (!ood-byc, boys." The whole Congress, in fact, behaved exactly like a lot of youngsters let loose from school. There; are at least two instances on record of firearms 'being used iu Parliaments, hi the Croatian Diet a free light was tragically ended by a Government supporter emptying a six-chamber-ed revolver into the opposition benches. Four members were seriously wounded. Worse still was the civil war in the Paraguay House of Congress the other winter. Dr. Aceval, the President, having just resigned, .his supporters declared that his resignation was a forced one and illegal. A fierce debate began, in the midst of which someone fired a revolver. In an instant every single member was beneath his desk, pistol in hand, firing at those opposite. The battle was only ended by the arrival of a strong body of soldiers and two machine guns.