The New York herald., 1879-08-03
SWINDLED IN ENGLAND.
AN AMERICAN CLERGYMAN CHEATED BY LONDON
CONFIDENCE MEN.

AN AMERICAN CLERGYMAN CHEATED BY LONDON
CONFIDENCE MEN.
LONDON. July -. 1879.
At the Bow Street Police Court to-day gentle
man. calling himself the Rev. j. @. Holiday an
American clergyman. lodging at No. 65 Guilford
street, Russell square, charged George Hockey a
professional betting man. with stealing EAT at tho
Holborn Restaurant. by means of confidence
trick. Mr.. Holiday testified that no first saw the
defendant on tho evening of July Z. at st. Paul's
when he said he American, and they
had q conversation about their native coun-
try. He seemed very communicative and
offered to show him about town. as he appeared
very intimate with the city, they walked about
together, talking on variety Of subjects. and
eventually the defendant offered to show him the
Holborn Restaurant. OF the sights of London;
witness consented to 80 in with him. but declined
his offer of refreshment. on the ground that che
never drank" they returned into Holborn
and walked toward the West. and during
their conversation witness told HIM where
he was stopping. at hotel. and ex-
pressed his desire to move into lodgings; the
defendant said he alone in London also and had
thought of moving into lodgings himself. They
agreed to meet again and go to Greenwich and to the
Crystal Palace and time for their meeting was
arranged. By some mischance they did not meot at
the time appointed. and witness went to the Palace
alone but on the following Wednesday, July 16
they met again outside Cooks Tourist Office. at Lud
gate They recognized each other directly and their
conversation was resumed .'exacty where 1t left off
when they last parted" They walked together to
the Holborn Restaurant They went in and were con
Quoted to room up stairs. They sat at table. and
beer. They had not been there long when raw
lrishman entered the room. and after complaining
to the walters about some difficulty he had expert
enced in finding what he wanted asked il the vacant
seat near witness and defendant was occupied Az
they offered no objection he sat down there He at first
called for some cider, but the waiter said he had
none. Then the Irshman said he would have some
stout" adding that he knew what stout was in
Ireland anyhow aud did not expect to get it good
as it was at home. He then entered into conversa-
tion with them; and presently. on discovering from
one OF them that they were Americans ho said that
he was delighted to hear it. az he liked them. He
proceeded to say why he loved the American people.
Mr. Flowers.I fear we cannot go into that.
Witness4in the course OF their talk 1t transpired
that the Irishman had come into a large fortune Of
$50 anu more. and that by codcil in the will of
his uncle he to distribute FL 900 in four equal
parts to four deserving persons. He said he hau al
ready disposed Of one-fourth. and he explained no
he did it. The defendant told the Irshman that he
and witness were responsible persons. and knew
many deserving objects in America, giving him
opportunity Of testing his attachment to
the people, il he cared to consider them. He
felt disposed to their suggestion but said he
must have security OF their faith in him before he
could trust them The defendant showed the Irish
man fl0U note, and said he could draw for f7OO
more. He placed his pocketboOk and money in the
hands Of the Irishman, and allowed him to walk
Will Lie lri6uln6n returueu III low mlnuy6S
and returned the pocketbook to the defendant,
saying che was satisfied" The defendant appealed
to witness to show him similar mark Of con-
hdence and witness replied that he only had about
ESQ. He produced his pocketbook, showing that it
contained nine IS notes, and he handed 1t to
defendant. in answer to which he said he had also
purse containing about f2 in cash. This he also
placed in the hands Of defendant, who then put both
the pocketbook and purse in the breast coat pocket
of the rishman, he had done previously with his
own money, and the 1rishman left He did not re-
turn SO speedily as he did before. and defendsnt
went to look after him. Neither of them came back
and then his suspicious arouled. (Laughter)
He saw nothing moro of defendant till he met him
accidentally on Saturday afternoon, when he gave
him into custodys He knew him Immediately.
Cross-examined:-He arrived ut Liverpool from
America July 5; he certain to the identity
OF defendant; If he was not the man then there was
other man in London; he had heard of the 'con-
fdence trick" being done in America. but had
experience OF 1t.
Mr.. Flowers feared it was Anglo-Saxon institu-
tion.
Witness had desire to how it was practised
in England.
Partridge the detective officer proved the arrest
of the defendant, who said the prosecutor was mis-
taken, as he was at Winchester on the day in
question.
The walters at the restaurant failed identify him
as the companion of prosecutor that day.
Mr.. Abrams said he grieved to hear Of an American
gentleman being used so badly by some one who, no
called Edward Sherman, Edward Treherne, two book
makers and four other witnesses. who all swore to
being with the defendant ut Winchester on the
10th ut the time of the alleged robbery.
The prosecutor still said he not mistaken in
the man or the day. The defendant was discharged