The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-07 00:00:00

A DARING SWINDLER.

On Friday last, a man, named Thomas O'Connor,
assumed the garb of a Catholic clergyman, and pro-
ceeded to Bray by railway. Captain Richard Dug-
gan of Kingstown, who is a little disabled in the
limbs, slipped on the platform, when the supposed
clergyman ran to his assistance. The captain
thanked him for his kindness, but the bland O'Con-
nor told him not to mention it, that he was only too
happy to be of any service. When the train was
about to start, his would-be reverence was getting
into a third-class carriage, when the captain in-
___

terposed, and paid the difference between a
third • and a first-class fare, and travelled
With O'Connor to town. _On the journey

• they 'conversed most familiarly, and "the
gentleman in black" represented himself as a
priest travelling for subscriptions for the erection of
a church. The captain gave the zealous collector
five shillings as a subscription. When the train
arrived at the terminus the captain invited his friend
to join him at dinner. The invitation was accepted.
Dinner was not ready when they arrived, and the
captain went with his newly made acquaintance
to a bedroom. The captain being a little weary
from his journey, lay down on his bed to have a
nap till dinner was announced. He placed a purse,
in
,which contained over £7O notes under his pil•
low, and in a short time fell' asleep. In about
`half an hour the reverend gentleman came down
stairs, and took his departure, wishing the servant
• womi the enjoyment of the choicest blessings.
When -.inner was ready,, the captain was called, dt
it was then discovered that the purse was emp y.
O'Connor was nowhere to be found, but the
police were put upon his track, and he was
eventually captured in Dublin. The police
:however found • upon him £56 of the cap-
tain's money, a French story book, and some
music elegantly bound. He had also stowed away
-on his person the designs and plans of the intended
-new church, and a number of documents, which
proved that the distinguished artist had "raised
the wind" by offering to get persons situations, and
that he had advertised himself as a situation agent.
—Freeman's Journal.

THE ESCAPE FROM NEWGATE.—The German
sailor who, yesterday morning, effected his escape from
Newgate, had not, up to a late hour this afternoon, been
re-captured.

LANDED ESTATES COURT (IRELAND).—A Parha-
'mentary paper issued yesterday gives a return of all pur-
chase money paid or to be paid into the Landed Estates
Court from the date of its institution to the present time,
distinguishing those sums in respect of which per centage
has or can be deducted, as also the amount of such per
centage, together with the approximate capital value of the
estates now remaining unsold, but in which orders for sale
have been made. The total amount of purchase money was
£5,940,987 ; the amount lodged, including absolute credits
and interest; £4,714,592; amount to be lodged or allowed
by Absolute credits, £1,226,397 ; amount on which per cent-
age IN chargeable, £2,968,913; amount on which per centage
is not c. Barg' eab1e,X1,972,076; amount of per centage,£l4,Bl4;
and apl )rox imate capital value of estates now remaining
unsold, . c3r6641996,