A SWINDLER'S END.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 December 1917, Page 2

A SWINDLER'S END.

ADVEM'URBS OF BOGUS DOCTOR. Paul "Loubet," who in 1315 had escapades in London and Paris, recently committed suicide in Melbourne. "lioubet" was not his real name; he adopted it, ami led people to believe he was related to M. Emile Lotfbet, the ex-President of {"ranee. In London he assumed the name of Percy Webber Black, M.'D,, a Dirblin doctp'r who was out of the country at the time. "Loubet" was a , French medical student who just before the war came to England from Germany. He spoke English with little trace of a foreign accent, and was a tall, finely built man of 24, with engaging manners but a slight "kink" that gave some people the impression that lie was not altogether responsible for his actions. Although ho had _ not a doctor's full qualifications, his knowledge of medicine and Surgery was fairly sound, if hot extensive, and hv means of forged papers he succeeded in getting temporary appointments from doctors at Bexley, Ley ton, Ipswich, and Southampton. On Alienist 4, 1014, when the war began, he applied at the Admiralty for temporary service as naval surgeon, representing himself to be I)r. Edward Heffernan. He was requested to furnish a birth certificate and a recommendation, but the Admiralty heard nothing more from him. Two days later lie obtained a naval surgeon's uniform at £l3 from a West End firm, but failed to pay for it. ,Eight days afterwards he applied for a position as temporary surge-jn in (ho Royal Army Medical Corps, and signed the application form "Percv Webber Black, M.D." He was gazetted temporary lieutenant on September 11, and drew his army pay from that ciate to March, 191;*). when he was arr?ste-J in Lo'idoi. Twii charge- - against him were of fraudulently peis.niatiiig l)r. Percy Webber Black, of obtaining by pretences army pay to the amount of £21!) 17s lOd, and a naval uniform, of giving a false certificate relating to a death, and of forging the certificate. At the Old Bailey, where he Iried. lie was liberated on condition that lie joined the French Army. He did so, and it is believed that for a time he performed good work. Apparently he deserted from the French Army, for the next time he was heard of he was in Australia.