The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-11-08
From the Boston Post.
a Sing uIar Mode Of Swiniiing.

a Singular Mode Of swindIing.
OF all the ways of raising the wind, that
OF writing begging and pentential letters
10 persons known TO be deceased in or
der that they should fall into the hands OF
heirs, executors or administrators, is about
the last which would occur TO rogue of
ordinary callbre. There is touch of ge-
MUS in the conlrivance, and in some in
stances it has proved successful. Boston,
for some months past, has had the honor
OF harboring the writer of such letters, in
the person of Henry Van Zandt, alias
Henderson, &c., who was taken up in
May last for forging an endorsement on
some stolen treasury notes. BY letters in
our possession from numerous postmas-
tiers, we can trace the movements of the
gentleman back to the first part of the
year 1913, at which time he was in New
York, although he pretended TO be in the
Williamsburg Jail.
His daily practice has been 10 look out
for the deaths in the English and Ameri-
can papers, and upon finding that per-
son Of reputed wealth or distinction had
died, he would Immediately write TO the
person thus deceased letter soliciting
continuance OF charitable aid, couched in
such terms as naturally to lead the heir or
other representative Of the deceased to
conclude that the writer and deceased had
previously BEEN in confidential correspon-
dence. In order to make the operation
palmer to the reader than any description
can render it, we subjoin series of let
tiers, by which Van Zandt, or whatever
else his name my be, succeeded in swim
ding gentleman in this city, short
time after the death of his father.
The first is post-marked New York,
Jan. 4. and dated Jamaica Plains. Jan. 3.
1914, IA days after the death of The res
pectable gentleman to whom it was ad-
dressed. is, verbatim as follows:
Dear and honored Sir 1t is now
some time since | last had the pleasure Of
hearing from and receiving your benevo-
lent favor; you then told me when re-
quircd father to write again, but this
felt at the time as though l could never
do; necessity has since proved to the
contrary, and am now, from the greatest
distress, compelled once more to ask your
kind assistance. You, sir, have been
kind to me when afflicted and disgraced;
may Heaven amply repay you, and may
you secure that consolation the perform.
ing of a generous action ever gives.
AS you are aware, honored sir, the
term of my Imprisonment expires in six
months. Oh how | long for the day
when | shall be restored to the embrace
of my dear, dear friends. and experience
tht blessedness happy home will give
to one SO long debarred its social plea
sures. What can say TO express my
gratitude TO you, my benefaclor and friend,
for what you have SO nobIy done for me
But W well knew in what comfort and
affluence was brought up, and therefore
for my friends sake piled. Bless you,
sir; you have indeed been kind friend,
Il will never, no never forget it. The |
money you so generously sent me is now
all gone; do pray send me little more,
$50 will do) and will this and all repay
you Immediately after | reach home, |
when, Mr.. Blake, will directly see you.
! would not, my dearest sir, apply TO you
again were not in the greatest distress
but your kind heart feels for me, there
fore need say no more, but still depen-
ding on your secrecy and honor, remain,
dear sir,
With every sentiment Of respect.
Yours, most obliged, f.
Jail, Jamaica Plains. Jan. 3. 1914.
DO not direct as before, but to the doc
tor who visits the jail; he lives near Will
liamsburg, and comes TO Jamaica twice
week he is kind and humane man,
and greatly sympathses with me in my
affection and youth. requested to have
a letter directed to HIM for me, and he has
most kindly consented. God bless you,
sir; write soon, and direct, post paid, for
have not one cent left, to DIR. Il. r.
Prince, Williamsburg, Long Island, New
York, and he will know by the post mark
itis'for me. Do, when you write, please
say when you last seen or heard from nv
dear, honored father, and how he then
was my heart bleeds as think of him
and all my beloved relations but will
yet retrieve the past and become an up
right and useful member Of society, as you
IN your last affirmed might.
My prison at the best is but dreary,
but without money to procure me abso-
lutte necessaries this cold weather, it is