The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-09-15
MOTOR GAR THIEVES.
CLEVER RASCALS WHO SPINDLE
 AND ROE MANUFACTURERS.

Games Worked on the Continent in Ab- sconding With Cars-LOndOn Garage Manager Tells of Narrow Escape Opportunities Given by Motor Races. To M. Hamard, chief of the Paris police, belongs the credit of recently unearthing in the French capital gang of motor car thieves who, 1t is estimated, have swindled provincial manufacturers and dealers to the ex- tent of a4,O0O, Forged letters and false bills were the means by which these thieves secured the dilevery of cer- tain cars, which they resold before the hue and cry was raised through the bills being dishonored.
 From inquiries made by the writer 1t would appear that motor car thieves who resort to such dodges chiefly con- fine their operations to the Continent, where large number of motor cars are made, and where they are afford ed a greater scope in consequence.
 "It may sound little egotistical on my part" the manager of well known London garage remarked to the writer recently, after the afore- mentioned Paris case had been relat- ed to him, "but we are too careful regarding the standing of customer to permit being duped in such man. ner.
 At the same time, we came very near losing an 2S00 car about twelve months ago, by somewhat different trick
 "A message came over the telephone one day from a man who wished to hire one of our best cars to hold four people in addition to the driver. The address of well known hotel was given, and arrangements were made that the party should call at the gar- age for the car. At the time appoint ed, however, only two men arrived, explaining that their two friends had disappointed them. smaller car was offered, but they intimated that they preferred the large one, and having paid six guineas, the cost of hiring the car for half day, they departed for their spin with one of our best drivers.
 Judge of our surprise when the lat ter returned about two hours later, alone in the car. He told story which, although seeming very extraor- dinary to us at the time, we have now every reason to believe was quite true. After the car had proceeded some dis tance one of the men asked the driver to have drink from flask whi1i! he carried The man refused, saying that he did not care to take intoxi- cants while in charge of car. Noth- ing more was said about the matter although the men tempted the driver to drink with them at two or three public houses where they stopped.
 oBut the man kept to his resolution and refused to leave the car, fact which seemed to anger both men more especially when, having got some distance into the country, the driver again refused to drink from the prof fered flask. They became abusive-sC much so, in fact, that the driver near ly stopped the car and threatened that he would notgo on unless they mended their manners. Apparently thC men had been waiting for this, fo when the car came almost to a stand still they both jumped out and en deavored to gain the drivers seat with a view, apparently, to pulling hin down.
 Fortunately, he anticipated thei movements, caused the car to lurcl forward So that both men lost thei hold, and putting on speed came bacl to London. We were in considerabl doubt for some time as to whether h had acted rightly But these doubt were removed when we learned tha the two men had been arrested an convicted for defrauding hotel pro prietors"
 This dodge is somewhat similar t one which was tried with more sue cess in Chicago some time ago. A in the former case, a car was hired telephone and request was mad that the automobile should call on evening at a certain hotel on the out skirts of the town to take a lady an gentleman for three hours ride. 0 reaching the hotel the driver was asl ed inside and supplied with liquC which had been drugged. The dru did not have any immediate effec but after few minutes in the ope air the driver sank into stupor fro which he did not recover until tN hours later when he found himse under hedge about dizen miles fro Chicago.
 He made his way back to the tow and the police were put on the traC of the miscreants. It was not un weeks later, however, that the e was discovered In the stables of h tel at Indianapolis, where it had bet left by the couple, who had decamp' without paying their bill. The activi of the police had alarmed them, al not having had an opportunity of Actively disguising the car they hi decided to leave 1t behind and esca by train, which they were successf in doing
 The keen rivalry which exists | s tween manufacturers of motor cars
 the Continent, who seek honors al advertisement in motor races, led
 what probably constitutes the mo