A SUCCESSFUL PORTRAIT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3049, 20 November 1908, Page 3

A SUCCESSFUL PORTRAIT.

It was Cup Day (says the Melbourne "Argus")- Business was dull, and Mr Charles Gray, photographer, of 118 Bourke Street, sat in his shop wondering why people did not come and have their photographs taken rather than get rid of their surplus coin at Flemington. Three young men approached, two of them confidently, the third with that air of diffidence which marks the photographer's, or dentist's, patron. After gazing awhile into the shop they came in. "Say, mate," said one of them, "this bloke wants 'is pictur' took." The victim brushed his hair and smoothed the wrinkles of his coat. Having done so,, he sat in the chair, smiling timidly. The other two stood by the counter. But Mr Gray waited—it was usual to pay a small deposit. This being explained, and Is having been tendered, operations began. A screen was let down behind the sitter, shutting off the view of the counter. One photograph was taken, and the sitter was changing his pose for the second, when a sound was heard from the counter which Mr Gray did not like. He rushed to the door, and saw one of his visitors disappearing round a corner with his till. This till contained 25s in silver. Pursuit was useless. But Mr Gray remembered the camera. A photograph had been taken; he would develop it and take it to the detectives. He did so. And that is why a man, twenty-five years of age, was lodged in the watchhouse by Detectives Tognini and Clugston, who arrested him m Little Lonsdale Street. The charge against him is that he did, in company with~tWo men unknown, steal a till containing 255. He admits that the photograph is his, and a faithful likeness, but denies that he knew anything about the till.