The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-01 00:00:00

A SWINDLER.

•
Oa Saturday last, Edward Stent, a well-dressed fellow, about 21
years of age was charged at Mansfield, with stealing a horse and gig,
the property of the a wan Hotel in that town, bat he was discharged
for want ,f evidence. The prisoner, who was dressed in black, and is
of a slender frame, is a native of Stockwith, and for the last two years
has m ,intained himself by swind ing, which has extended to all parts
of the country ; and since it was known that he had been appre-
hended and lodged In custody at Mansfield, the superintendent of
police has been Inundated with letters from hotel keepers who have
been victimised by him. The prisoner has been in the habit of going
into the commercial roams of hotels, getting in conversation with
commercial men, and using the knowledge he could obtain
from them to swindle the public. A few weeks ago, he went into
the commercial room of the George Hotel, Stamford, and repre-
sented himself as a traveller for Messrs. Bainbadge and Hewison,
York. He obtained an order amounting b .tai. The goods arrived.
lilt payment was advised to be made only to the house in York, and
St.s ii was foiled, and left Stamford without paying his hotel bill.
W 'dist at Stamford he had too cards printed, containing the following:
• Sugar scum guano manufactory, London and Paris; sole manager
for England, Mr. Stent, Done ester." He ordered a quantity of goods
at the shop of Mr. Sneath, at Woodthorpe, amounting to
and ordered them to be left at his hotel, but the messenger
refused to leave them, and they were taken back again. On
leaving Stamford, he went to the Railway Hotel, Fssendine,
where lie remained several days, and ran up an account
amounting to leaving witheut paying it. From Essendine he
travelled to Mansfield, and took up his abode at the Swan Hotel.
Having supped, slept, and breakfasted at the inn, ho hired a horse
and gig to go to Worksop, and learning in the commercial room that
a traveller was going to the same town, Stent offered him a ride
which was accepted, and the two started together. They drove up
to the Bull HotellWorksop, where Stoat, who had a brown paper
parcel with him, asked his friend to lend him a sovereign, and to take
the parcel in the house, and order luncheon for both while he went to
see his cousin. The gentleman did as he was requested, but Stent
did not return ; the parcel was searched, and it contained three dirty
fronts and a boa of pornatum. Stent had ordered ai tons of patent
manure from the Manure Company, London, which had arrived at the
Bantry S ation, addressed to a Mr. Wilson, but no such person resided
there. Stent went to the railway office, signed the delivery-b. ok
in the name of Wilson, and ordered it to be sent to Doncaster, where it
arrived. St ent ordered it to be so'd by auction ; bat before this could
be accomplished he was apprehended. He had. however, at Doncaster,
represented himself as a traveller for a leather firm, and obtained an
order foe leather; he also gave an order for a pair of Wellington
boots, which he obtained, but he was compelled to return them by
th - police. At Derby. a few months ego, he gave orders for upwards
of one thousand pounds worth of artic'es, which were intercepted—
before their arrival v. Chesterfield. where he had opened a shop in a
large way of trade. He is about 5 feet 10 inches high, light complexion.
dressed in a black cioth cat-away coat with a little paint on the left
sleeve. black and white check cap, dark coloured necktie, brown
trousers wide at the bottom, with a light brown plaid, and striped
down each side; wears stads in his shirts, an i shoes rather out of
repair.