The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-08-20
From the Providence Journal.
MOSES SWARTS.

The annals of swindling do not furnish
more accomplished rogue than Moses
Swarts. 1t will be remembered by our
citizens that he visited this towna short
time since, and succeeded in defraudinp
Capt. ChilGs of Warren, in an expert man
ner, ont Of an inconsiderable sum of money.
Honorable notice has already been taken
of him in the Wdrren Star. When we hear
of such il character as Moses Swarts, it be-
comes the duty Of those who conduct the
public press, to present him fairly to the
public, and to caution the people against
heing ensnared by his fraudulent practises.
Swarts wore Jewish beard, extending
down to his breast, and was clad in the He
brew costume. Although a stranger in this
place and pretending to be one in the coun-
try, it now appears that he was known at the
South that at Baltimore, but a short time
before, ne had succeeded in cheating gen.
tleman of responsibility out of large sum
of money, and not Herewith content, had
subjected him to criminal prosecution, which
terminated in the conviction of an innocent
man. The facts of this aggravated case
have been thus reported to us. Swarts
with companion as worthless as himself.
obtained loan from a gentleman in Nhss.
York OF six or seven hundred dollars on
pledge of gold snuff box, set with dia-
monds, and some strings of pearl of some
value. The snuffboX was cased in wood
en- fancy box, and sealed in buckskin bag,
stamped with Swarts's initials in Hebrew
characters. If the box was not redeemed
IN six months it became absolutely the prop-
erty ofthe pawnee. From New York Swarts
went to Baltimore, having first sent by wa
ter, several large boxes, to appearance filed
with dry goods on which he had affected
insurance. On these boxes he attempt
ed to raise money, pretending also, that
he expected by an arrival from Europe.
property in diamonds, pearls, &C. of i'm
mense value. He offered the merchant to
whom he applied for the loan, to secure him
on the boxes Of goods or if he preferred it.
on gold snuff box set with diamonds.
which afterwards proved to be the identical
one pawned in New York. After ascertain
ing the value of the snuff box the merchant.
whose name was r. M. Anker, advanced
Swarts the money, and the snuffbox enclos-
ell as before stated, was in the presence of
witnesses delivered in pawn. Mr.. Anker
and two or three other persons saw the
snuff box deposited in the buckskin bag and
sealed up. 1t proved however to be de-
fusion, for tin box was substituted in the
place OF the gold one, which was retained
by Swarts. In the evening, Mr.. Anker
imagined that his treasure was not as heavy
ms 1t appeared when he took it from Swarts;
he went to Swarts and requested him to
take back the box and give him up his
money, which was refused, whercnpon Mr..
Anker had the box opened in the presence
of a magistrate, when to his astonishment,
he found his suspicious realized, and that he
had been jeloed. He sued the Jew and
held him to bail. Swarts therefore procur-
ed Anker to he indicted for cheating him
ont of the snnffbox, and on the testimony he
was able to procure, Mr.. Anker, respecta-
bic merchant, was convicted, fined five hun
dred dollars, and sentenced to mine months
imprisonment. Previous to his visiting this
town his vlllanes were detected, Mr.. Ank-
er's Innocence fully established, and Swarts
evaded the punishment Of the law by flying
from its officers.