The Express.
London, England, 1855-08-31 00:00:00

A DEEP SWINDLE.

On Wednesday morales weak two respectable-
Maize men, apparently is the farming line, drew up to
the door of Mr. Farr, who keeps a publie house in con-
minion with his little farm, Nunteed, near Devizes, and
having directed that their hone might be taken to the stable
they sat down to refresh themselves. The pod cheer set
beton them, and the civil, obliging manner of Mr. Farr
appeared to please them much. "If they could, wave•
stoutly, be acentainodated with beds they would (they said)
remain for the night. as one of them, who was 'steward to
Mr. Brown, of Luock Lodge,' was desirous of purchasing
some in-calf heifers in Devizes market on the following
day." Mr. Farr felt himself honoured by the proposition
ee•-• bed was promised; and in the &Henan Mr. Fan
chewed the gentlemen round his fields, and, in the course
of their walk, pointed out to theta—es an object
mushy of especial notice—a horse which he had
Wed at Tan Hill fair for 161. The gentlemen
@haired it of amen, but, as the object of their visit
was not so much to proton hones as " in-calf hedges,"
nothing was said about the animal; and, having
spent a very agreeable evening, the two gentlemen retired to
rest, sad, on the followieg morning, left for Devises market.
Mr. Fan attended Devizes market also, and, se he had proved
himself so good a judge of horseflesh at " Tan Hill," one of
them in the some of the morning come to him and asked
lilts tf tin eenuttris- good enough to auompany him to the
Nag's Head stable+, and give his opinion upon a horse which
he had taken " • violent fancy to." Mr. Fur at once went
with the gentleman, and saw a grey hens, and a stranger,
who represented himself se the owner of it. The price caked
was 461., but Mr. Farr and the gentleman thought It might
be bought for lea money ; they accordingly bid 401., and,
after a good deal of " dealing," the gentleman ascended in
obtaining the animal at his own price, and taking a cheque-
book from hie pocket, be drew a cheque for the amount, in
the name of Joseph Smith, in favour of Mr. Brown, or
bearer, on the Hampshire Basking Company, at Southamp-
ton, and handed it to the vendor. Jut at this time, another
man (whom Mr. Farr had not before seen) made his ap-1
parsons, and asked Mr. Smith " if he could not settle for
those heifers 2" " Certainly," said Mr. Smith, and drawing
another cheque epos the same bask for 261. he handed it to
the stranger, who thereupon withdrew, and left Mr. Farr,
Mr. Smith, and the former owner of the grey horse toge-
ther. The latter nun had sold "one of the best horses
under the sun," and his only reason for doing so was, that
"it was too good for his work." He must, however, get
another to supply its place ; and having described precisely
the senor animal he wsoted,Mr.Amith at once recommended
him to try and buy Mr. Fur's horse—it was the very thing
for him, in every respect. Mr. Farr, nothing loth at tun-
log a pound, leaving Mr. Smith behind, set cff with the
other man to Nuntsed. The horn was there shown out
and approved, and the bargain struck at 191., in payment
of which the former owner of the grey horse
handed to Mr. Fur Mr. Smith's cheque for 401.
and requested the difference. Mr. Farr said be
had only 191. by him, bet if the purchaser would trust
him for an hour, he would ride into Devizes, get the
cheque changed, and give him the remaining 21. This was
agreed to, and, requesting that Fan would bring the money
to him at the Bear Hotel, the man mounted the new par.
chase and rode off. Farr followed immediately, hut, upon
his arrival at the Bear, he found that no person of the pur-
chaaer's description had been there. lie then proceeded to
the Neg's Head, to see if the grey horse for which the
cheque had been originally drawn was still in the stable,
but that had departed also, and, not liking the look of mat
ten, he went to the North Wilts Bank, and obtained cash
for the cheque, endorsing his own name on the back of it.
Further inquiries led him to believe that he had been
duped, and this belief was fully confirmed upon fisting
that Mr. Smith and the purchaser of his horse bad left the
town tortber, in company with two other" gentlemen" in
the " in-calf heifer" line. We need scarcely say that the
cheque upon the Hampshire Bank Ina been returned marked
"no effects ;" nor has it soy such customer as Joseph Senn).
—Bath Chronicle.

THE NATIONAL FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY.
Last evening the quarterly general meeting of the
members was held at the Llndon Tavern ; Mr. Mureso In
the chair. There was a numerous attendance.
Mr. Witirrixoesx, the secretary, read the quarterly
I report from 30th April to 31st July. It stated that the
shares issued during that period amounted to 2,293. The
receipts on unadvsnotd shares—May, 18,2841. ; June,
14,3011. • July, 17,9391 ; total, 60,5461. Advances repaid—
May, 9881.; Jae., 1,0361. ; July, 9341. ; total, 2,9661. lie-
°lapis from purchases of land on deposit—May, 8791. ;
June, 8781. ; July, 1,7711. ; total, 3,6301. Receipts from
rent and other produce—May, 631. ; Jane, 6881. ; July,
6621.; total, 1,2951. Pets and lines, 1501. Deposits with-
drawn—May, 20,0741. ; June, 20,8901. ; July, 16,8641. ;
total, 67,8281. Advances to members—May 1,8211. ; June,
4,9921. ; July, 2,0541. ; total, 8,8671. Lana sold, 12,3081.
After some discussion, in the course of which it was
stated that the society had made arrangements to grant
advances to build on their various estates, the report, on the
motion of Mr. Bontems, seconded by Mr. Astbury, was
carried unanimously • together with a vote of thanks to Mr.
Bcholelbld, M.P , and the gentlemen ',desisted with him
who had formed themselves into au association to watch the
prooeisdisp of parliament for the better protection of free-
hold land sad building societies.

Mr. J. D. Coleridge, of the Western Circuit, will
be the new Recorder of Portsmouth. in socormioa to Mr.
Mussy, M.P., appointed Under Secretory for the Home
Department. Mr. A. Stephen, has been appointed Recorder
of Andover, in the room of Mr. Be!leaden Het, resigned.—
Globe.
- ..

A LIBERAL DEAN.—We had occasion some time
back to chronicle the sympathy with the wants of an intel-
ligent public expressed and carried out by the Dean (Dr.
Lear) and Chapter of Peterborough Cathedral, sad we have
new to record mother graders' act ea their part. Oa Mon.
day week tk. doss actually directed divine service to be
delayed (moos hour to usable a large party of ezeursionists
by rail to see what it so happeani the maid sot otherwise
have seen—the graves of Catherine of Amps and Mary,
Quess of Beata. The orderly behaviour of the whole party.
sad the intelligence shown by many of them, made this
little set one of no indium gram sad propriety. Thee:-
eanionists left pinned with the moccasins that heti beim
made to this, and in a better spirit toward a church to
whisk litany of thom did sot beluog.--WoreestersAire
Chronicle.