THE POET AND THE "BANCO MAN." How Oscar Wilde was induced to sign chocks for &1,160.

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1659, 22 February 1883, Page 4

THE POET AND THE "BANCO MAN." How Oscar Wilde was induced to sign chocks for &1,160.

Pukvious to the departure of Oscar Wilde for Europe mniiy of his acquaintances in tins city woi c in a story that he hud been dwindled by a "Lsinco stcerer." Mr Wilde professed to make light of the matter, and when spoken to by reporters he returned eva&ive or misleading answers. Those of his acquaintances who knew the fact* felt bound to conceal them ro long as the "apostle of a.'-'theticism"' remiincd on this side of the Atlantic. When he sailed on the Bothnia on Wednesday their ton«nes Were loosed and they talked more freely about the swindle. A full lepoitof Mr Wilde's expetienee with "banco"' swiudleiß was obtained from authentic sources by a Ti ibunc reporter yesterday. 1 On the iiftornoou of Thurday.Deccinbci 14, Mr Wilde drove rapidly in a cab to the Madison Squaie Bank in Twenty-third-street. Kntciing the bank with evident excitement he asked to feee the cashier, and told him that he wished to stop payment upon three checks, amountting to $1,100, which lie had signed only a few minutes before. He described the checks, and hinted that they had been obtained from him by fraud. Mr Wilde then went diiectly to the police station in West Thhtieth-strcet and inquii ed for Captain Williams, saying that he desired an interview ou urgent business. Captain Williams led the way into his private room and closed the door. Mr Wilde threw himself upon a small sofa, in a graceful, half-reclining attitude. Ho ran the iingi'is of one hand tlnough his long hair, and with the other hand he stroked his trouscis uneasily. At length he cleared his throat with a faint cough, ami siaiil : " Captain Williams), in yam long expciicnce as an officer of police, I piesimie you have occasionally met with persons who make fools of themselves ?" The captain smiled and gave an affirmative nod. " Well," Mr Wilde continued, " I have just made a fool of myself." Then he related in detail his experience. He was walking in Broadway, not far from Union Square, when a sharp-featured and wcll-diessed young man stopped him and extended his hand. " Excuse me, Mr Wilde," the stranger said, " but J am a son of Mr Drexel, of the firm of Diexcl, Morgan & Co., the Wall street bankers. Having seen you once or twice in my fathers office, I hope you will pardon me for inti educing myself.' 1 Mr Wilde had been in Mr Uiexcl's otlico on business and he was taken off his guard, flo shook hands with the man, oxpiesscil his giatification at the meeting, and accompanied him into a. neighboiuing restaurant where Mr " Drcxel" told a story of having won a prize by a lottery drawing. He induced Mr Wilde to accompany him to a house in cither Fifteenth-st. or Seventcenth-st., between Second and Third ayes. (Mr Wilde could not find the house afterwards), and led him into a room where iwo or three other men were throwing dice. The poet's fi iend insisted on making a throw for him, and Mr Wilde was told that he had won a handsome sum. Gradually, as he play went on, Mr Wilde became interested in the game, and then he lost steadily. At length he was informed that his losses exceeded his winnings by §(50. He had not much money in his pocket and he was pressed to give a check for the amount. He consented. After a few moi'P throws ho was declared a loser to the extent of 9100, and he .signed another check for thatamount. His blood was up by that time, and he made larger ventures, only to learn that he was in debt $1,000. He wrote his name to a cheque for that sum and then refused to play longer. It had dawned upon him that he -was being swindled. Young Drevel made a loud outcry and declared that Mr Wilde's treatment had been outrageous. He persisted in accompanying his acquaintance from the house, but Mr Wilde shook him off, ran for a cab and hastened to the bank before the swindlers had an oppoitunifcy to get any of the checks cashed. When Mr Wilde had concluded his story to Captain Williams, he gave a full description of " Drexel." He was then asked to take a look at the Rogues' Gallery in the captain's office. His attention was directed to a photograph of Joseph Sellick. alias "Hungry Joe," a noted confidence swindler for whom the police had been searching. On seeing it, Mr Wilde at once recognised the features and exclaimed, " Well, I declare ! that is Divxtl beyond a doubt." Captain Williams and his detectives tried to find " Hungry Joe " and his confederates, but the swindlers evidently had posted themselves regarding Mr Wilde's action and they took care to keep out of the way. On the following Monday Captoin Williams received the checks which Mr Wilde had signed. They were sent to him by mail without comment. Until he received back the checks Mr Wilde was nervous, fearing that they would be cashed by innocent persons and that he would be sued for the amount. He declared afterwards that he could not afford to go into court either at> a complainant against the " banco " men or as a dofendant in a civil suit. It was said by the police yesterday that no arrests could be made under the circumstauces. Sellick is believed to be out of the city at picsent. — American Et vhmujc.

All stories respecting Sir Garnet Wolboley are inteicsting just now. It appears that he is fond, like Nopoleou, of addressing himself directly to the soldiers under his command. " Now, my man," he said, *' if you were told to lighten your kit by half a pound, w hat would you throw away ? ' "The .Soldier's Pocket Companion.' answered the man, as he respectfully saluted his Commander. The point of this is that Sir Garnet wrote the book. Animals tn t Norway. — There is a salient feature in the Norwegian character which ought, I think, to be recorded — viz., kindness to domestic animals, which in that country are treated as their friends rather than the slaves of man. As a result, vicious horses are unknown ; foals follow their dams at woik in the fields or on the road as soon as they have suilicient strength, and thus gently accustom themselves to harness. I heard of a foal trying to force its head into a collar in imitation of its mother. Horses are trained to obey the voice rather than the hand, bearing reins arc not used and the whip, if carried at all, if hardly ever made use of. Great care is taken not to over-load carts, especially in the case of young horses, and consequently - a broken knee is larcly seen, and the animals continue fat, in good condition, aud capable of work, till the advanced age of twentyfive or thirty. So tame are the Norwegian horses and cows that they will allow casual passers-by to carress them while they are lying down. Even domestic cats will approach a boy with confidence, knowing that no chasing or worrying awaits them. One very hot summer day I met a woman holding up a unbrella to carefully screen what! supposed was a little child at her side "from the scorching rays of a mid-day sun, while her own head was covered with a handkerchief; In driving by I tried, to gain a glimpse of her charge, and found, to my great surprise, that the object of her care was a fat black pig. The question of liumane methods' of slaughtering animals has lately been ' prominently; brought forward in ! England.- 1 tri 'this' lihe Norwegians show' us a good example ;' they neVer use the khifewithdutfivst stun- * ing the animal. In the abov r e remarks! am alluding to the country districts of ! 'Npr- ! way ;in the 'towns' the national charactristics become' modifiedjj/vthbugti even under these conditioi)S"< f JcindupßS t 4t6 iahifah'ic rim. Timm#M'khmK%?