AN ATTEMPTED SWINDLE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2737, 16 February 1910, Page 2

AN ATTEMPTED SWINDLE.

ATTEMPT TO EXTORT MONEY

In connection with the arrest of a man at Wellington on charges of having attempted to extort money from William Webb and others, it appears that a short time ago Webb received a telegram from Wellington signed “George Whelch,” intimating that he (Whelch) had arrived in Wellington, ancl asking Webb to wire him £lO. The Wanganui sculler was rather, surprised on receiving this message, as he wondered at Wlielch—if he were in Wellington at all—being short of money. He sent a reply to the effect that lie would forward the amount required on the receipt of proof that the sender of the message was who he represented himself to be. "Webb also, at the same time, despatched a wire to Mr. M. Daly, of Akaroa, who is one of Whelch’s chief supporters,- asking where Wlielch was. To this message lie received a reply that Whelch was at Akaroa, where ho was engaged grass seeding. The little scheme therefore failed, though it might easily have proved successful. About the same time a well-known coastal slqpper was victimised to tiltextent of £2 by someone wlio wrote a 'letter to him and signed himself William Webb, representing that he, Webb, required some material from Wellington in connection with his boat-building business, and asking the skipper if he would oblige by leaving £2 at a certain shop in Wellington to enable a friend of Webb’s to buy the goods, which would subsequently be taken aboard the captain’s boat for •him to deliver to Webb. It was mentioned that should the captain not see Webb himself lie would he able to collect his money from Mr. W. Tuck, of Wanganui. Everything appeared to fit in well, and the captain left the money where requested, but nothing further was heard of the goods. Subsequently it was discovered that the letter was a swindle and the signature a forgery, as* Webb ,had never written to the captain in question nor had he authorised .anyone else to do so.