CUNNINGLY CAUGHT.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 491, 23 September 1899, Page 1 (Supplement)

CUNNINGLY CAUGHT.

Ocut detectives might learn many valu able lessons from the East Indian policemen. Here is an instance of Oriental cunning : A well-dressed woman, apparently of the better class, entered a house of a sowcar, or money-lender, in Hyderabad. She seemed to be in the most dire distress. She informed tho sowcar that her husband, a merchant, had been imprisoned for debt, and sbo wished to pawn her jewels in order to help him. Shnthcn produced her treasures—diamond rings, earrings, pearl necklaces—apparently worth several thousand entreated him to lend her two thousand rupees on them without delay. The sowcar accordingly, having first tested tho gold setting and found them of pure gold, judged /tho jewels to be genuine; so, after boating hor down a hundred rupees, ho gave her the money. The woman left the shop and disappeared. Shortly afterwards the sowcar mado a thorough test of tho jewels, and found, to his horror, that they were nil clever imitations, worth nothing. There was only the gold, worth about forty pounds, for comfort. He had been swindled out of fifteen hundred rupees.

He at once put the matter into the bands of the poHco They advised him to way nothing of his having cheated, but to give out that bis house had hcen broken into by a band of thieves, that everything had been carried off, among which was a large quantity of -jewellery—that belonging to the woman was to be minutely described—and that he should offer a large reward for the discovery of the stolen goods, as, from their havin g been deposed on pledge, bo would bo involved in a great loss. This was done. A few days afterwards a man representing himself to be the husband of the woman who had pawned her ornaments came to the sowcar, stating that he had just came into possession of some property and -wished to redeem the jewels. Of course, the sowcar said he could not produce them, as thoy had been stolen ; but would tho man wait a little ? He refused, and the full valuo was demanded less the sum lent and interest. A great deal of haggling was done in order to allow time far the police to be summoned. On their arrival ho was taken into custody, and, with tho woman, was in due course punished.