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MOCK AUCTIONS: STRANGE DISCLO-1…

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MOCK AUCTIONS: STRANGE DISCLO- 1 SUBEB. At the London Guildhall, on Thursday, Theodore Levine, described as as auctioneer, of 9, Bentinok- street, Oxford-street, and Charles Wood, a com- mission broker, who gave his address^ at 47, Ashiord- street, Hoxton, were charged before Sir Robert Carden with having conspired together, and by various false and fraudulent pretences obtained from Charles Baron the sum of X8 2a., with intent to cheat and defraud him of the same. Mr. Charles Baron was called. He said that he resided at Wymondley, in Hertfordshire, and lived on his own property. On the 13th inst. he was walking up J dgate-hill, when his attention was directed to an auct. In shop at No. 43, where a sale was going on, and he went ia. He saw there the two prisoners at the bar, two females, and a man. Levine was in the rostrum, and was selling what purported to be electro-plated salt-cellars. Wood stood at the right hand of Levine, and was the first person to start the price of everything that was put up for sale, and he believed him from his talk to be a broker. There were several lots knocked down to him, but witness saw no money pass. When the tea and coffee service was put up, Wood bid for it. It was put up at J86, and knocked down at £ 7. He did not bid for it, but Wood got up a dispute about it, and wanted to know whether the lot was not knocked down to him. Levine said that it was not, but that he (Mr. Baron) waa the purchaser. When the lot was Eat up,*and several times before it was knocked down, said that he would warrant the articles were the best silver electro-plate, and lined with gold, and that the cost price was 20 guineas. Levine called to him, and asked his name, and he gave it to him, and then it was Levine told him he had knocked the lot down to him, and asked him for a deposit. He refused to pay a deposit, but offered to pay all the money. At the same time he told the pr prisoner Levine that he never bid for them. A woman who was there told him they were worth a great deal more than .£7. It was in consequence of the assurance of Levine that they were the best silver electro-plate, lined with gold, that he paid the -87. Some trays were then put up for sale, and four times they were knocked down to him, but as he never bid for them he refused to take them. A sham quarrel then took place between Levine and Wood. Wood came to him three or four times after the things were knocked down, and said to him, "Did you bid for these things ? and he replied "No; they are not mine." Wood then went to Levine, and said they were his, at X6 18s., and did not belong to the gentleman; (meaning Mr. Baron). A liqueur stand was then put up and knocked down to him for 22s, but he refused to take it. Wood upon that taunted him, and said, Never mind him, he has no money." They went on in such a manner to him that he was frightened, and he at last paid for the stand 22s. He thought they would resort to violence if he did not pay for it, and therefore he took it. After the sale was over the following bill and receipt was made out:- Mr. Baron. 43, Ludgate-hill, Londos, Dec. 13,1866. Bought at sale, one electro-plate tea and coffee set, kettle, and salver, for £ 7 0 0 'Liqueur stand "M 1 2 0 £ 820 Settled, London, Dec. 13,1866, T. LIEVEIT. He waited and took the goods with him, although they wanted him to leave them and they would send them after him. A cab was sent for, and the goods were put into it by his direetions, and he drove awty to King's-cross. That same evening he took then to Mr. Benson's, on Ludgate-hill, and was there told that they were worthless. In cross-examination by Mr. Emanuel, he Biid he went into the shop because he saw labels in the window, selling off." He did not go in \) luy, but merely to look round to see what thinta ihey were. He thought Wood was a brokei, because he said he might as well make t R,5 note as anybody else. He thought he went Aero to buy; but when he saw that lots were knocked down to him, and no money passed, he began to think there was something wrong. He did not bid for the tea and coffee service. He paid the money for it because Levine said he would give a written warranty that they were the best silver-gilt II and lined with geld, and were worth a great deal more than 47, and he believed what the prisoner said. He paid th,, money also because he feared that if he did not the io«r men would set upon him and do violence to him. Charles Thonaa Clements said he lived at 9, Blen- heim-street, Oxira.street. lIe was an auctioneer's assistant out of employ. He knew the prisoners at the bar. Levino kept a. mock auction at 43 Lud- gate-hill, and Wood was employed by him M hie ,assistant. He (witness) was engaged as an assistant by Theodor £ -ieyme about nine or ten weekB ago 43.. tadgate-hij1, and was in that employment a fortnight. Wood and he went to work the day the pm.l\1 opened, aad two or three more were employed as assistants. Levine's sister was there as one of his ,assistants. Wood's duties were to persuade people to buy, which was technically called a "jolly." It was a part of his duty to bid at the time Levine'waa selling were fluently knocked down to Wood every day. Layine's sifter bought some of the small lots. His duties Nero to act as "crab"—that was to run up the irtiales to a certain amount previously agreed upon ani then stop. If parties did not bid above him, hi would teU them they had no money and thus taunt JieA into bidding. Wood and he were mid nightly, tie amount he reoeived being 4s. Der day. He had net seen the tea and csffee servioe produced, but h> l*d seen scores that had been mado in the same morf48- J-hey were made by the Sheffield and Birmingh £ manufacturers for the Pw? of being sold at wok actions. The four pieces pro- duoed were w j They were manufactured only for mookauctions. At the mock auctions they sold by score? and generally fetched about £ 5 a set! They were ve/ carefully wrapped up in tissue oaoer and never brfg&t out except when a "mark" was present, andfcken they were shown in .(Xfe*" °° sU "i6"> Cr.ose-e.,ig%Lined by Mr. Emanuel: When he had seenthexn 8W at mock auctions, the sets had fetched £ 5. He w*8™ levines employ a fortnight, and left beoause fc* would not go and work in Levine's brother g ibop. at 12, Green's-end, Woolwich The reason ^gased1 to go there, w»B becauBe he Wished to i sis tgZrs8 months 11,0. Mr. Manuel said they did not want to inow anythiugabout that, as it was not the case before the Court, tud he hoped the assertion would not prejudice the cage Sir p Garden said he had nothing to do with that case, aid the prisoners should net be prejudiced }>yit.. WjtiesB oontwued: A gentleman named Paul had bees gvindled Gut of X12,000, and was now a ruined man. They had ruined him., r. Emanuel: Then you, were virtually a spy on ihfjjj i yifaesa: A spy You may call it that if you like. I vfid have gone there for nothing to have succeeded ii) toy object. la continuation, he said he knew Wood Daid so much per night to jwlly people to buy. fie did this at his own instigation. He did hot know Fleming, of Oxford- street. He was not in any Ojla II employ, but had private means of hia own to liv,d upon. He did not see Mr. Baron go in to buy, Do+, he followed him to Kimg'ki- dresfi, and told him he been swindled. 4t. George Tyler, jeweller and watchmaker, Far- "f^gdon-street, examined the goods, and said they were i>< to value but for old metal. They were not electro- cuted at all. They were a, mixture of pewter and fead, and were put into a solution of aoid to make ifc Hute, and that gave it a polish that would resemble ^leehro-plate; but after they had been a little while GJtpofödtóthe air, they turned blaok. If the articles teer8 genuinaelectro-plate, they would be worth £ 7. James Hann, detective officer, said he had seen Wood at the shop in Ludgate-hill for some time, and they had had several complaints at the station from people who said they had been swindled there. The prisoners were then remanded, bail being re- fused, although Mr. i^manuel offered bail to any amount. Mr. Lindus said he feared if bail were taken it would be forfeited. The prisoners were then removed.

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