A. Jackson and Co., The Hague, Holland.—Invites people to trust him with money for investment upon any one of a series of “systems” explained in his prospectus. If the system chosen happens to show a profit for a few days, Jackson declines to return the capital or pay over the winnings, sticking to the money till it has been (as he alleges) lost. One mug sent Jackson £100, and in the first week won (on paper) £56. Ignoring his orders to stop, Jackson went on working (or pretending to work) the system for another fortnight, by which time the £156 had all disappeared. An action was then brought and Jackson pleaded the Gaming Act.
Bevan, Son, and Thompson, Delft, Holland.—Promoters of turf sweepstakes, and suspected of being identical with the above-mentioned Jackson.
Brown, Bell, and Co., 18 Featherstone Buildings, W.C.—Ordinary system-mongering sharps.
C. Wood, 148 Old Street, E.C.—Advertises in the daily papers that “£5 invested pays £1 weekly,” and offers shares in a syndicate for backing first favourites. The syndicate’s capital is always lost, and Wood goes on his way rejoicing at the gullibility of the public.
J. L. Auckland, 132 Kilmorie Road, Crofton Park.—By way of variation upon the more familiar first favourite system, this scoundrel pretends to use his dupes’ money in backing “the last horse quoted” in the betting returns published in the press the day after a race. A transparent fraud, as in nine races out of ten it is impossible for anybody to know beforehand which of several outsiders starting at the same price will be “the last horse quoted” in the betting returns next day.
Foster, Nash, and Co., 37 Graveney Road, London, S.W.—Another swindler practising precisely the same trick as J. L. Auckland.
The following are proprietors of illegal racing lotteries whose operations have been noticed in Truth:—
Dormice and Co., Middelburg, Holland.—The alias of D. Mackenzie, proprietor of Sporting Luck. Runs racing sweepstakes in connection with which grave doubts have arisen as to the genuineness of the alleged distribution of the principal prizes.
J. H. Adams, Middelburg.—In the same line of business as Dormice and Co.