BANK NOTE HOAX

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 261, 25 March 1911, Page 10

BANK NOTE HOAX

ALLEGED AUDACIOUS SWINDLE BY AX ENGLISH TOURTST. Vienna, February 3. An English tourist, giving his name as Noel, is alleged to have swindled in an audacious fashion a number of Austrians who were gambling in a cafe in the Pratcrstrasse. The Austrians were playing for rather high stakes when the Englishman asked if he might join them. The "banker" consented, and Noel laid £8 down each time. He lost persistently, and each time paid with what the others took to he English £lO notes. Each time he received £2 ns change. At the end of the evening the Englishman left the cafe, and the Austrians congratulated themselves on having won a very comfortable sum. Then they discovered thath the supposed bank-notes had nothing to do with the Bank of England. ■ As reproduced in the newspapers, the bank-notes bear the wording, "Bank of Engraving. I promise to pay all bets forfeit the sum of ten pounds. For Self and Co., Bank of Engraring. H. S. Blown." Only to a person totally tinacquainted with English could they be regarded as real notes. The gamblers .<ay that thev lost £4O in actual cash to the alleged swindler (who has not re-appeared), not to speak of their unpaid gains.