AN INGENIOUS FRAUD.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2692, 12 October 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

AN INGENIOUS FRAUD.

The career of an enterprising swindler has again received an unexpected check at the hands of the detective police. Frank Leslie, a young gentleman cf good address, who, under the respective aliases of Thos. Dyuoii, J. T. Henderson, Jas. Price, John Payton, H. J. Brown, Thos. Henty, and M. G. Petty, has served numerous sentences for obtaining money under false pretences, was arrested on Tuesday night by Detectives Lomaine and Jennings on a charge of conspiracy to defraud. The scheme thus unfortunately nipped in the bud was as ingenious as it was simple. The initial step was to secure a quantity of note paper, bearing; the imprint of Killura Station, New South Wales, and armed with this inexpensive "kit" the adventurer proceeded to address a curt communication to the manager of the Esplanade Hotel, St. Kilda. Dating from Numurkah, Leslie, under the title of M. J. D'Arcy, intimated that he was the proprietor of the Killura Station, and that, expecting shortly to visit Melbourne, he was anxious to engage rooms at the Esplanade for a period of some weeks. The date of his urrival was uncertain, but in the meantime he requested tiiat tho management should receive any parcels which came addressed to him, and keep them safely until he should claim thorn in person. Simultaneously a young lndy, signing herself " Marie D'Arcy," addressed a series of letters on the same note paper to various tradesmen in Melborne ordering certain goods, all of which were particularised with much care, and requesting that the parcels should be sent to the Esplanade Hotel, St. Kilda. With each paokuge, it was expressly stated, the invoice was to be forwarded, because, the fair correspondent ran on, "Air D'Arcy objected to running small accounts, and always liked to remit a cheque in settlement with as little delay as possible." No suspicion was aroused, and the goods were duly sent to the Esplanade where the obliging manager received and carefully stored them pending the iinival of the distinguished guests But suddenly an unexpected contretemps occurred. Mrs D'Arcy wan attacked by a serious illness, and her husband wrote disconsolately that he was unable to leave her bedside, and would be compelled to relinquish his projected trip to the metropolis. He requested, however, that the parcels addressed to him should be handed over to a Mr E. Kirkby, who would present the letter in person. The first communication was dated 10th August, and two days later, Mr Kirkby called, expressed his apologies, and went away taking the numerous packages with him. In a day or two more the tradesmen began to make inquiries, and the fraud was exposed. But the birds had flown, and nothing more was heard of them until a chance circumstance threw the principal into the hands of the police. On 6th September the manager of the Beacorish'eld Hotel, St. Kilda, received a letter, bearing the headline of Killura Station, and purporting to be written by Mrs M. J. D'Arcy, at piesent staying in B.urnsdale. Mrs D'Arcy requested that rooms should be retained, and all parcels kept until her arrival. Tho request was eutered without, Mi-pioion, and the parcels came to hand with unfailing regularity. At last a blundering carrier took one of the package* to tho Esplanade Hotel in mistakp, aud the manager, finding himself in the presence of an old acquaintance, at once telephoned to the Beacousfield Hotel. The detectives were called in, and Detectives Lomaine and Jenuiti-ts took up their residence in the hotel and waited events. On Tuesday evening, and not long after their arriviil, a young man presented himself, armed with a letter, in whioh Mr D'Arcy expressed regret that his wife had been taken seriously ill, and asked that all parcels addressed to him should be handed over to hiH friend Mr Leslie. The bearer was at once arrested, and lodged iu the city watch house.—Leader.