The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-11

| IHE TRICKS OF SwINDLERs-ADvICE TO THE
| UNsusPEcrNG-The protection of society is
said to be the chief end for which government
are established and laws enacted but after all
the protection they afford against the many
grievances with which society is afflicted,
is only partial. While the murderer and the
thief are punished in proportion to the enor-
nifty of their crimes, there is no redress for the
man who is cheated out of his money by the
| devices Of the Peter Funk or the cunning Of
the pocketbook dropper. Several attempts
nave been made to free our city from these
harpies; but they were unsuccessful, and the
red sign of the mock auctioneer waves as freely
in front of his store as the stars and stripes
from the City Hall, while the occasional cases
that we hear of dropping proves that the pocket
book game is still played upon unsuspectng
travellers. If the ingenuity that is displayed
in cheating and swindling were devoted to be-
nefcial purposes, New York would be the para
gon of cities, and her people the most fortunate
in the Union. But the watch suffer and the
dropper form very small minority of that por-
ton of our population who live by their wits
the cheUaliers dindustric of the great metropo-
lis. Fortune tellers do thriving business; but we
have no compassion for their victims and the
talent that exhibits itself in getting mp mann.
moth lotteries is rewarded with fortune
while the thousands who are swindled can
obtain no satisfaction unless they take the
law into their own hands Charletans become
rich on the sale of quack medicines drugs are
adulterated, and even the very nece ssaries of
life are converted into poison to increase the
profits of the seller; but although the sufferers
may be counted by thousands, the law takes no
coenizance Of the frauds, and the offenders. in
stead of being punished like the common thief,
are allowed to 80 free, and are regarded by the
community as smart men,"
But while The law does not extend to such
to bear upon them, we consider it the duty Of
the public press to expase them whenever op.
portunity offers. Here II q case, for instance
which we would warn the uniuitiated against:
John Smith Or Bill Jones announces to the
public through the papers that he has secret
which he will impart on the payment of dol
lar, and by a knowledge of which the person
tuC sdid CAu lutht tIOm
twenty to sixty or seventy dollars week
The prospect which such proposition opens
TO the sanguine and confding induces them to
pay the dollar; but it is only when too late
that they are made aware OF the imposition.
The instructions they have received are either
utterly worthless, or of so little value that il
would be loss of tine to follow them. Thou
sands of dollars are paid in this way and per-
haps by the poorest q our population, who can
less afford to lose. dollar than others to lose
ifty The shirt sewer. who does not cara mare
than two dollars week-harlly suficcntfor her
support-sees the advertisement in the paper,
snd in her innocence Of the fraud, sends the
required amount TO the address Of the swinller,
fer Bill Jones. instead Of impartlng The instruc-
Tons in Fropr'a Persoae, sends printed
circular, containing the directions from which
the hopeful soamstress is to learn the way to
make o fortune in 4 few years What we would
say TO all who arc fable 10 be Imposed upoa
fy srch devices, Is that they should always