HOW FENCES FLEECE CROOKS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 304, 19 December 1908, Page 4

HOW FENCES FLEECE CROOKS

Amongst the many amazing stories narrated by John Fredierick Spencer, the Leicester master burglar and ex-Sunday School teacher, none lis more remarkable than that which concerns the disposal of the property he stole. He alleges that for jewellery worth thousands of pounds lie received from the London "fence" with whom he dealt no more than a beggarly £BO. Two rings, valued at over £I,OOO apiece fetched together £35, and other costly gems in proportion. Extraordinary, though this sounds, there is nothing inherently improbable in it. The average receiver is in his dealings with his "clients," the thieves, an altogether unconscionable rogue. He has got the "pull," and they have to be content with practically anything he chooses to give them. 'lt is not long since it transpired, in connection with a'great robbery of art treasures from a Park Lane mansion, that certain jewelled miniature portraits and gold and dianiond-inmistcd snuff-boxes were paid for at the rate of a sovereign apiece, and that, too, by instalments spread over several weeks. In the case of the late Lord Anglesey's jewels, valued at over £30,000. which were stolen from a hotel in Piccadilly in September, 1901, the actual thief, a Swiss valet named Julian Gault, was paid by the receivers no more than £3O.

The notorious "Harry the Valet," who in January, 1801), fobbed the Duchess of Sutherland of gems worth Ci">.n<M), received for them the comparatively large sum of £I,OOO in cash on the nail, with a 'promise of £I,UOO more to follow. But then he was a regular professional "crook." knowing several receivers, anil so 'in a " job " of Mich magnitude as this he was able to play oil the one against the other, thereby securing better terms.