A COOL PROPOSAL.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2923, 28 June 1878, Page 3

A COOL PROPOSAL.

(from the bivbeinb hebald, mat 23.) The appended correspondence was handed to us yesterday by Mr James - Shackell, a member of the committee

formed to watch the interests of ticket-

holders in the Eiverina Grand Property Distribution. The letter may or may not be genuine, It bears every stamp of genuineness, however, and the assumption that it is so is strengthened by the fact that the ticket named in the letter was purchased through the post from Mr M'M-ahon', the Echuca agent, in the name of the person signing the 1 document, and sent to the address given. The proposal is the most scandalous that we have heard for a long time. The following is the correspondence:— "To the Editor of the Eiverine Herald. —Sir, —I herewith beg to hand you a letter, receive;! by me this morning by post. I make no comments upon it myself, beyond saying that the writer should be committed to Her Majesty's gaol for a period of • 12 months, with very hard labor. Do as you like with the letter, but by all means publish it, in order that the public generally may be guarded against such men as ' W. Gr. Sells.'—l am, Sir, yours &c, James Shaceelil/. May 22." Copy of letter : Liewah, Biver Edwards, New South Wales. Mr Ja3. Shackell. Dear Sir,-tAs a poor man, that's earnisg' my living by the sweat of my brow, and that wishes to get on in the world (if he could \ only get a start), I an* now going to try my luck at the union. I have t~,ken a ticket, so I hope you won't take it as an insult to the proposal that I am going to make to you, for I know you are a gentleman, and I suppose that you have as much influence in that lottery as any of the other committee. The proposal that I want to make to you is this:—" If it lies 'in your power to do so—if you can manage for to get me the first prize, which is valued at £Mffi. I will give you £500 out of the prizev^nd moreover, for you to secure your money, you can keep the deeds until you are paid, as I will give you the privilege to sell it, so as you can get your own. So if you think you can do that,' you would make a man of me, which I should be thankful. You can rely on my word for I keep my tongue quiet. You will please to let me know by return of post, if you think you can succeed. I hereby send you the number of the ticket —No. 616.—1 am, dear sir, &c, W. G. Selis."