Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1858-07-01
ImpOStureS,

The order of the Postmaster General 10 the
PoStmasters throughout the country, directing
them to retain all letters received al their of.
hces addressed to fictitious names, has fallen
like wet blanket upon class of sharpers
who have grown rich in practising on the cred.
dullty Of the public. There are half dozen or
more of this class located in Albany, whose
profits have been seriously affected bv the or.
der Of the Postmaster General. One has grown
to OpulcnCe by advertising that he is the manu-.
tacturcr of" love powders" which " possess the
power OF charming TO your embraces the proud
est beauties and the most intractable of the
stcrner sex !" These powders are sent by mail
at three dollars q box. They cannot cost the
manufacturer much more than three cents
each. lie assures the guIlible that the use of
one box is generally sufficient; a second is al
most certain to captivate the coolest; but in
rare instances third must be resorted to-
That, however, was never known to fail! The
victim receives the first and second bottle in
return for his six dollars; but he never gets a
return for his third investment. He might
write fifty times after that to the love powder
man but he will receive no answer.
Another sharper advertises that he is the
manufacturer of bogus coin, which will pass for
good even at the mlnt-a description of coin
that will successfully stand all chemical tests
and defy the shrewdest bank detectives. The
rogue who would deal safely in bogus money
sends five dollars to purchase some. He re-
ceives in return ten dollars in good coin made
at the mint. The sharper is now out five dol
lars, but his victim, finding that the ten dollars
sent him pass readily at profit to him Of fifty
per cent concludes to go to work on a larger
scale. He sends fifty dollars, and expects one
hundred of the perfect bogus in return but
L., Al
by giving ten dollars for five dollars gains fifty
dollars. This fellow, it will be perceived, is
completely secure from criminal prosecution
lie does not deal in bogus coin at all, and his
victims dare not complain, because in doing so
they would be compelled to admit to the world
that they were anxious to operate in counter.
felt money.
Another advertises that for the moderate
sum of fifty dollars he will impart to any law
yer a secret that will, beyond all chances, en-
able him to win every suit in which he may be
engaged, whether of law or love- The charm
consists in the possession of the eyes of very
rare Egyptian fowl, which none can procure
but the advertiser! Strange as it may seem,
this fellow has caught some flats and pocketed
their money. When asked what return he
proposed to make to one of his victims, he re.
piled that he would go into State street, pur.
chase a spring chicken, cook and eat the meat
extract the eyes and send them to the wistfu
lawyer, and if they could see further than his
victims eyes, of which he had no doubt, he
might win the suit
These sharpers bear fictitious names, and
hence all communications to them are retained
They will be sent to the dead letter office.
1t may not be amiss to say that the. genera
order affects few in this city and elsewhere
whose business is deemed by the public com
paratvely legitimate, but who, for reasons bes
| known TO themselves, have thought it prop t.
keonduct under names other than their own