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Newspaper Index David Pool Index David Pool - Article - 2nd January 1886 .......One prisoner gives the name James Whitestone, and is also known by the alias of White. The other passes under the alias of Lawrence Slack, Willaim John Harris and Willaim Jones: but it is said that his real name is Foden, and that he was at one time a member of the Town Council of Salford, but has since been unfortunate in business. Whitestone, it appears, wrote to Mr. W. R. B. McKay, Union Street, Dumfries, proffering to take as much poultry and game as he could send him during the Christmas season, and offering 8½d to 10d per lb. for turkeys and correspondingly high prices for other classes. His letters were written on memorandum forms, the printed headings of which represented that he carried on business as a poultry and fish dealer and commission agent at 51 Oxton Road, Birkenhead, and he promised to send remittances in course of post on receipt of the goods. Writing from a different address in Liverpool, Slack made similar representations to Mr. McKay, who was thus induced to send to the two addresses consignments to the aggregate value of nearly £150, buying heavily at auction in Dumfries and Carlisle for the purpose. The money not being forthcoming, he became suspicious, and ultimately communicated with the police; with the result that it was ascertained that no such business was carried on at the place indicated. the goods must have been sold to dealers as they arrived. Learning that they were suspected, the parties appear to have decamped; but after the lapse of a few days Whitehouse incautiously ventured back to the place to take away a pony and cart, and the police being on watch, he was apprehended on the spot. Slack or Foden was meanwhile traced to Eccles, where he has a house, in which his wife was residing; and the police paying a nocturnal visit, he was found in bed. Superintendent Pool, of the Dumfriesshire Constabulary, proceeded to Manchester and Sergeant Bell to Liverpool on Wednesday night, and returned with their prisoners - the one on Thursday night, the other yesterday morning. The accused will be brought before the Sheriff to-day for private examination. There is reason to believe that they have victimised in a similar manner persons in other parts of the country, and that Whitehouse also carried on a fictitious mills trade. A third man, now in custody of the Welsh police on a similar charge, is suspected of being an accomplice in the alleged fraud. |
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Copyright © 2001 The Pool(e) Family Scottish Database
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