SELLING SPURIOUSAMALGAM

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 578, 9 November 1869, Page 2

SELLING SPURIOUSAMALGAM

In the Resident Magistrate's Court, Charleston, on Friday last, James M'Mahon was charged, on the information of James Buller Saxon, with having obtained from the Bank of New Zealand the sum of £lB, by means of false pretences. According to the report in the Herald, the prosecutor said the prisoner came to the Bank of New Zealand on the evening of the 3rd instant, with a small parcel of metal which he stated to be amalgam of gold. He said he had endeavored to burn the silver off it in a tin dish, and that the heat of the fire had melted the dish. The material of the dish had mixed with the gold. The weight of the parcel was lOozs 6dwts, and the value, had prisoner's statement been correct, would have amounted to from £l2 to £ls. Prisoner offered the parcel for sale, and witness advanced £6 on it. Prisoner went away then and returned, on the following morning with another parcel weighing 13ozs ldwt, which he said he

had obtained from Brighton since the evening before. lie asked for an advance on the second lot, and after the Bank opened, witness gave him an advance of £l2 on it. Subsequently witness doubted the genuineness of the metal, and had it melted. The result was apparently nothing but lead. The parcel produced was the result of the furnace operation. It had since been tested, but no gold was discovered. The Magistrate (Dr Giles) committed the prisoner for trial at the next sitting of the District Court.