English Swindlers in Paris
The following story appears in the Gazette des Tribunaux: “Two well dressed persons having the appearance of Englishmen, went yesterday to the fair which is being held on the Route de Versailles. They placed before them a tray containing a great number of pieces like those of twenty francs; and with a very strong English accent, offered them for a sale of one franc each. The public suspecting that the pieces were only a composition gilded, made few purchases.
Presently a cab drove up, and two other Englishmen, also fashionably dressed, alighted. They went to within a short distance of the other two, and one said in bad French, “Why, I declare it is Lord Harrison trying to win his wager with Sir Barthurls.”
“What wager?” said the second Englishman. “What! Don’t you know that he has bet £100 sterling that he would offer 1,000 guineas at one franc each to these silly French and that he would not succeed in selling fifty in two hours; whereas Sir Barthurls has bet that they will all be taken in less than an hour.” “I am of the same opinion as Sir Barthurls,” said the second Englishman.
“For my part,” said the other, “I think with Harrison.” “Let us bet.” “How much?” “Ten pounds.” “Done.” Then they shook hands, and retired a short distance. Their conversation was overheard by the person standing by; and after some whispering among themselves, these persons hastened to the sellers and bought as many gold pieces as their resources permitted. Meanwhile the two gentlemen of the cab repeated their conversation a little farther off, and the result was the same. In less than an hour the whole of the 1,000 guineas were sold. The two gentlemen who had effected the sale then joined the other two in the cab, and all four drove rapidly off. A few minutes after, three other individuals, having also the appearance of inhabitants of Great Britain, arrived, and inquired what had taken place.
On being told, they cried, “It is they!” and at the same time explained that they were detective officers of the English police, and that they had been sent over to watch certain notorious pickpockets of London who had come to exercise their industry among the [French]. The statement of these officers spread rapidly amongst the crowd, and the joy of the purchasers of the guineas became changed into sadness. On examination of the pretended pieces of gold, it was discovered that they were not worth fifteen cents. The secret police of Paris assisted by the English officers, have commenced a search after the clever cheats.