The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-03 00:00:00

SWINDLING AT OXFORD.

The Oxford Herald of Saturday gives an account of
an ingenious swindle practised by a recent visitor to
that city. On the 22d of last month an elderly gen-
tleman, who appeared to be nearly blind, together
with a young gentleman, his son of course, of about
eighteen years of age, called at the house of a Mr. Par-
ker, baker, of Batley, who had some lodgings to let. He
was a gentleman of easy and pleasant manners—he
said he had come to Oxford to consult the eminent
oculist, Mr. Clooburey, who had declined to operate upon
his eyes for six months. Ho wished, therefore, to take
lodgings in the neighbourhood for that time. Mr. and
Mrs. Parker soon struck a bargain with the pleasant old
gentleman, and were highly pleased with their new
lodger. He {seemed to have plenty of money, more-
over lived well, and so forth, and even offered to
lend his landlord a hundred pounds on moderate
interest if ho wished. The landlord, however,
said he had no occasion for this accommodation,
but thanked Mr. Rowan (as the old gentleman was
called) for his kind offers. Mr. Rowan then went to the
bank and deposited a hundred pounds, and quickly
silenced all suspicion, if any arose, with his cheque-book.
His next step was to go to the shop of Mr. Hobdeil, silver-
smith, and there make purchase of a watch and a silver
mustard pot. The latter he left to have his name engraved
on, and the former he took away with him. lie would pay
for them both when the mustard-pot was sent home. Of
Mr. Hobdell he inquired the address of some respect-
able solicitor. Mr. liobdell referred him to a gentle.
man, and directed him to write to Mr. James Curtis,
of Abingdon, for 191. 153. duo to him for rent,
and to threaten legal proceedings if ho did not pay
immediately. Accordingly Mr. Matthews wrote for the
amount, including his charge of ss. for the application.
To this letter the promptest attention was paid, for by
the return of post Mr. Matthews received two 10/.
notes, accompanied with an angry epistle friim Mr.
Curtis, who remarked in it that Mr. Rowan ought
to have first pressed others who owed him larger
sums for rent, and for a longer period. When Mr.
k Rowan called on Mr. Matthews, he expressed him-
self satisfied with the way in which this business
had been done, and Mr. Matthews handed him his
cheque on Messrs. Wooten and Co. for 19/. 15s. Mr.
Matthews was then instructed to apply to a Mr. Hudson,
of Wallingford, for 851., being the amount which Mr.
Rowan represented he had advanced on some deeds.
This application was equally successful, and as promptly
attended to, for immediately after its receipt a person re-
presenting himself to be the veritable Mr. Hudson waited
on Mr. Matthews, and, pulling his money out, said be
came to pay the debt, and asked for the deeds to be given
up to him; but as they were not in the solicitor'spossese
sion he could not do so, and accordingly it was agreed.to
put the matter off till the following Monday morning.
Here, then, was another point gained, that of having a
respectable solicitor, to whom there was an opportunity
of referring; and that this was of some use was soon
seen, for Mr. Rowan favoured several other trades.
men with orders. Clothes and jewellery were
sent to him in abundance. Meat and poultry,
and fish and wines, and spirits and perfumery,
and all that ho desired, poured in upon him,
addinc, at once to his comfort and the "respectability"
in which be lived. Feeling indisposed, Mr. Rowan
sent for Mr. Symonds, a medical man of some reputa-
tion, who prescribed for him with his usual care.
Mr. Rowan was so much pleased with the care his
doctor took of him, that he invited him to dinner
the following Sunday, and gave him a draft (due
on the following Monday) for his medical services.
The amount of the draft exceeded by 121. that of the
debt, and Mr. Symonds, of course, paid down the
difference in cash. What could there be amiss in a
gentleman for whom • a respectable solicitor was col-
lecting rents ? Mr. Rowan's bankers were so satis-
fied of his respectability that they allowed him on
the following Saturday to draw out 1081. from their
bank, being 81. more than he had put in. The next
day, while dinner was being got ready, Mr. Rowan
took an airing in a fly. He was late coming home,
however, for dinner was ready before he had returned.
His guests also arrived, and were somewhat disap-
pointed at their host's lateness, and at last, as he did
not cog .
come home at all, the truth
flashed out. An un-
1, Was immediately made. Mr. Bowan

t :•~

was traced to 'London, and there was an end of him.
Next day his obsequious tradesmen called in vain for
their money. His landlord had received no rent, and
had spent 141. upon his lodger, while his landlady had
made him a set of shirts, which he took
with him as a keepsake. The bill due on Monday
was dishonoured as a matter of course. The
account that had been overdrawn remained unsettled,
and Mr. Hudson never called on Mr. Matthews for the
deeds. Some gentleman, however, who seemed to bear
a strong resemblance to Mr. Hudson, was found to have
gone to London by the same train as Mr. Rowan, and
some persons thought that this gentleman was Mr. Curtis
as well. In the mean time, as these gentlemen seem to
understand their trade so well, Mr. Rowan will doubt-
less favour many more persons, if they aro not on their
guard, with his urbane manners and his numerous orders.