INGENIOUS SWINDLE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 86, 2 October 1869, Page 5

INGENIOUS SWINDLE.

A German journal, " Die Tribune," relates that M. Mende, a banker of Leipzic, received a few days back a registered letter from the house of Hachette & Mas&on, of Paris, for whom he had for some time past acted as agent in Saxony, announcing that their cashier had absconded with securities valued at 200,000f. The writers added that the delinquent was known to have taken refuge at the Hotel de Prusse, in Leipzic, and enjoined M. Mende to endeavour to recover the papers without too much scandal ; that in case of a voluntary restitution they had compassion on the wife and children whom the culprit had left behind, and were therefore willing to advance him a sum of 20,000f. on condition he would take himself off to America. M. Mende, thus instructed, went to breakfast at the table d'hote of the Hotel de Prusse, and observing a gentleman whose appearance corresponded with the description sent, lost no time in making his acquaintance. A sort of intimacy being soon established, the stranger asked M. Mende for the address of any banker that would discount some bills ' for him. " I am a banker, sir, and mil do it myself," said the, other. The parties then proceeded to the oflice of the latter, when M. Mende locked the door and said to the stranger—" You afe a rogue. You have stolen those securities from the house of Hachette & Masson. ' Your chiefs are, however, generous men. Restore all the papers, and they have commissioned me to hand you 20,000f. to enable you to fly to America., Here • they, are — go and get , yourself hanged The conditions;- were, of course, accepted,, and the other left the room apparently .in .great emotion. On M. Mende Morming the' Paris firm of what- had transpired, Ke learned, to his great annoyance, that he had been t played on by some artful swindlers, as! Hachette & Masson Tiad not lost anyj money, . and i had never sent him any' telegram on the subject.

The histdry of the' famous' Confederate war-song, "Dixie's Land," is given ■by the '"'Ledger." Dan -Emmet, a member of negro' minstrel- band,; whilst -in-Mobile id 1847,-hearcL some -colored laborers singingr a- melody whilst at -work,, which .impressed.; hirn^ He apnrppriated r ,th.€> tune fox. his own entertainments. <-£n 1861 -Mrs. John at' New Orleans introduced' it in a burlesque- as ! a march. ' -It received a double encore, and-the_sbiriiesque' having a "run" "Dixie" became in 1 a, short .time popular. When, the war broke" o J ut,'th'e'°military bands took it up, and made it tne 'WarUong of the S.outh. '-„,.'. ..„ Mr .George. Erancis Train, does not appear to begetting on, any better- in America than he' dicl ' in Australia ' or , 'England. > -The Chicago /':Times"r of j May 12th,. says, that <. he.: delivered -al lecture in Farewell Hall on the XOth , on i '"'ThfEree^om' 1 ' of 'Ireland." "• The Chicago' "'Time's'; remarks that'the first ' half of his lecture 1 wa& mau'e --up tirade against the-press, and the second; nmeance ot all public men tia compared s.witK Gj-.fF^raanpaaidTofnistadSenturjfiß 1 in the prisoniiMQft(jhjefti^itaiA, !