CLEVER SWINDLES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 156, 30 December 1911, Page 10 (Supplement)

CLEVER SWINDLES

STORIES I'.V A MASTER -CROOK." Most of the frauds on jewellers arc pretty well-known nowadays, as, for example, sending jewellery to an hotel for ii selection to be made. But the following is one that was only carried through successfully 'by one man, and he was one of the cleverest swindlers who ever misused his talents. We will call him Billy Merton. Billy was a man who could assume the character of a rich society man as easily as he could that of a common rogue. His versatility was, indeed, amazing. In the following scheme he had another man and woman as confederates. The two were as clever as himself, and well capable of playing Hie parts required. Some wealthy peer is selected as a victim. Whoever it is who is chosen, it is necessary that he shall have a town and country residence. Suppose Lord Jones is the nobleman who is chosen. One of the clique finds out where Lord Jones banks. This is easy enough, for the clique have a hanking account of their own, and a casual remark to the manager soon settles the question.

As soon as he discovers Lord Jones' bank, Merton opens an account there, and obtains a cheque book. He also has elaborate notepaper printed bearing Lord Jones' crest and address. We will suppose thait Lord Jones resides in the W. district.

Billy Merton is now ready to begin his scheme. He finds out a shop close to the town residence of Lord Jones, where letters may be addressed. To this shop he addresses a letter to himself. This letter is addressed in pencil, and inside is a letter supposed to have come from Lord Brown. Now note this letter, for it is important. As soon as Merton gets it he rubs out the pencil address, and re-addresses it in ink to Lord Jones. He has now in his possession a letter apparently written 'by Lord Brown to Lord Jones, with the proper district stamp on it.

The next step in the scheme is to hire a smart motor car, with chauffeur and footman complete. He writes to a big garage on Lord Jones' notepaper, and asks that the motor car shall tie sent round at such and such a time next day. At the appointed hour the chauffeur and footman appear, to see Billy Merton, posing as Lord Jones, at the gate of his residence putting on his gloves. 'Very late, aren't you?" he says. "No, my lord. The carriage was ordered for eleven o'clock."

"Oh, I thought I said a quarter to. Well, never mind. Drive me to So-and-so's, the jeweller's." Off goes the motor to the well-known jeweller's. Merton, now Lord Jones, has his faked letter in his pocket. This letter, it will be remembered, is supposed to come from Lord Brown, and savs: —

"Oh, by the way, you were enquiring about your clocks. You cannot do better than go to So-and-so's, the jewellers'. They have done good work for me before." The letter is written on Lord Brown's notepaper, with tho proper crest.

On arrival at the jeweller's, the sham Lord Jones instructs the footman to take in his card and out comes the manager.

"I want you to send a man down to. my house to repair a clock. You did omo work for Lord Brown, and he recommend me to you. Do you remember?" The manager for the moment does not. Out comes the forged letter. "Oh, yes," says the jeweller. "I remember now." He doesn't, as a matter of fact, V,.it it is not policy to admit that to Lord Jones, as he supposes him to be.

"Can you call on Thursday next, or, better still, I will drop you a line. I am having some of the rooms re-furnish-ed, and things are m a bit of a muddle." The jeweller is just about to retire, when Lord Jones calls him back:

"Oh. by the way, I am giving a wedding present to my niece. I don't know whether I have time now to settle"— pulling out an expensive gold watch. "Well, perhaps I can spare a few minutes."

Lord Jones enters the jcwellei's and selects a necklace or other suitable present for his niece, costing anything between £sm and £IOOO. ' ,

While with the jeweller he does everything to add to the impression that he really is Lord Jones.

Ho will take nut a gold snuff-box with Lord .Tones' monogram on it, for example, leave a cigarette-case lying about witli the monogram on it, and in a dozen little ways brings before the jeweller that he. is Lord Jones and no other. When he has chosen the necklace and other little presents he instructs the jeweller to place them on one side, and keep them for him. "I don't want to give her anything that she has already got," he says. "However. I shall be seeing her, or writing to her in the next few days, and I will then settle definitely what I shall have, - ' and away Lord Jones, alias Billy Jlerton, goes.

Xow comes the time for his woman confederate to play her part. A letter is faked as the previous one was, but this time the contents run something as follows:

•'Dear Uncle, —I am going to surprise you to-inorrow. lam coming to town, and mean to stay to lunch. Expect you to look after me."

The crook promptly writes to the jeweller, on Lord Jones' paper, and informs him that his niece is coming up to town next day, and it will be a suitable opportunity to settle the necklace question. Will the jeweller kindly state his own time when it would bo convenient for Lord .Tones to call? Will he also see that Lord Jones gets the letter, marked 'private,' first post in the morning?

The jeweller writes to Lord Jones' address, and informs him that four o'clock would be the most convenient time. This letter, of course, goes to the real Lord Jones' London address. Now Billy Merton was always careful to choose a peer who was out of town at that time, staying at his country residence. The real Lord Jones therefore doesn't get the letter that morning, though the jeweller thinks he does! Tt is of the utmost importance that Melton should find out what time the jeweller lias fixed. This is where his pal comes in. About two o'clock a welldressed stranger drives up in a taxi to the jewellers' and goes in. "Oh, has Lord Jones been here yet?" "Xo, sir." replies the jeweller. The well-dressed stranger pulls out his watch. "What a nuisance. I wanted to see him this afternoon. He told me at the club last night he would be calling here, and I thought T could catch him." "lie won't be here till four o'clock, sir." replies the jeweller. "I'm very much obliged. Tell him Lord Williams will try and drop round here and see, him, will you? though four o'clock is rather an unfortunate time for me," and off he drives. See the extreme ingenuity of the crooks? They have made the jeweller tell them the time of the appointment, and the jeweller doesn't realise the fact! At four o'clock sharp up drives the supposed Lord Jones and his niece to the jeweller's. "Awful rush to get here. Wish you had made it four-thirty instead of four," ),n .or. imnregcinp the jeweller in finite.

a casual manner that In; has received his lottor that morning. Lord .(ones turns to liis niece, who is well dressed, of course, and capable of playing her part without arousing suspicion. '•l'm in a hurry, my dear, dust pick what you like, though you will rind my choice is not a had one."

The supposed niece selects what she requires, 1/ird Jones promptly writes out a cheque for the amount, and the pair drive oil', leaving the jeweller rubbing his hands at having done such a good stroke of business. He rubs them to a dill'erent tune, however, when he hears from the real Lord Jones, who has received his letter in the country, and finds out that the cheque is a forgery. Meanwhile, Billy Mcrtoit, Lord Jones no longer, has gone straight to one of the leading pawnbrokers and converted the jewels into hard cash!