The Sun.
London, England, 1867-10-03 00:00:00

7'IlE MOCK AUCTIONS IN THE CITY.

At the Guildhall Police-court yesterday Mr.
Wontner, jun., applied to Sir Robert W. Carden
for a summons against certain persons for obtaining
money under false pretences, under the following
circumstances. His client was a gentleman who
held a high official position at the Cape of Good
Hope, and having recently arrived in London
was not aware of the frauds that were carried on
here. He was going along one of the most fre-
quented thoroughfares in London when his atten-
tion was attracted to one of those delightful
establishments, which now abound in the City
and metropolis, and have " Commission Sale Rooms
painted up over the window, but which were
nothing more than mock auctions. He went
in with a friend, believing it to be a bona fide sale.
He had no idea that there could be anything like
such a swindle carried on in one of the principal
thoroughfares of London without being immediately
put down. When he entered he saw several women
and some men, who were apparently buying the lots
as they were put up ; but there were two men there
in particular who appeared to be bidding against
the strangers. The room was hung round with
plated goods, watches, chains, and other articles of
apparent value. After the sale of several articles,
which the women and men bought, a quan-
tity of plated goods were put up for sale. As
these were things which his client wanted to
take back with him to the Cape of Good
Hope he bid for them. The auctioneer (as he
might call him for distinction) said they were a por-
tion of a bankrupt's stock from Oxford-street, and
he was selling them under an order from the com-
missioners in bankruptcy. It was a forced sale, he
stated, iu order to realise the assets of a bankrupt,
and that the goods which he had to sell in four lots
were worth £l5O. The first lot the auctioneer said
was worth £l9, and that was knocked down to the
complainant for £B, the next for £2l 155., the
next for £2l 55., and the fourth for 3d.

They told his client that the goods were of the
best electroplate, and that it was only because
of the forced sale that they could be had
so cheap, otherwise they could not have been
had for three times the money. The auctioneer
then put up a lot of cutlery, which one of
the men bid £34 for, and when it was knocked down
to him the auctioneer asked him for a deposit, to
which he replied, " I have no money now, but you
know I come up from Bristol every week, and I will
call on Saturday and pay you." The auctioneer
was not satisfied with that, and refused to admit a
sale of the goods. He put them up again to auction,
and without his (Mr. Wontner's) client making a
single bid the auctioneer declared that he had
sold them to him for £35. As soon as he said so
the man who had previously bought them came to
him and offered him £5 for his bargain. his
reply was, " But how will they pay me ?" and
he directly said, " By a cheque," and flourished
a book of blank cheques about in his hand.
The gentleman then asked the auctioneer if he
would transfer the purchase to the other man, and
he said no, for he would rather have him for a cus-
tomer. (Laughter.) The gentleman and his friend
having, however, observing some private and mys-
terious conversations going on between the parties,
had their suspicions aroused, and refused to take
the cutlery.

Sir R. W. Carden interrupted Mr. 'Wontner, and
said he was then telling him what had been going
on to his knowledge for years, and what had been
over and over again exposed in the newspapers. It
was wonderful to him how any person could be so
green as to be taken in by them.
A gentleman here stepped forward, and said that
when he came to London and passed through somo
of its most busy thoroughfares, with all its magni-
ficent buildings, he did not think that such a
swindling establishment would be allowed to exist.

Sir Robert W. Carden said he quite agreed with
the applicant that it was a disgrace to the City that
such places should exist.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

SALISBURY.-TUESDAY.

At market this morning there was an increased at-
tendance of farmers, millers, and dealers. A moderate
supply of both new and old wheat, and a good business
was done, previous prices generally advancing Is to 2s per
qr. Barley in moderate demand for malting purposes, and
rather dearer. In oats there was an average business,
at the top figures of last week. In beans and peas there
was a fair quantity offered, at rather over former quota-
tions. Flour active.

The following are the quotations :—Wheat realised from
44s to 75s ; barley, 38s to 45s ; oats, 25s to 30s ; beans, 463
to 58s ; and peas, 40s to 48s per qr. Tares, from 5s 6d to
7,6 d per bushel ; Best bread, 16d ; household ditto, 151
per 81b loaf. Flour, 47s to 51s per sack.