The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-04-08
From The New York Tribune.
Another extensive Swindle Exposed


Sergeant Berney and some Of the 9TH
err officers of the Mayors squad of Detec-
tives have just succeeded in effectually
breaking up swiDdling house that was
fast growing into an extensive business,
and would speedily have been putting
thousands of dollars into the pockets Q!
certain swindlers in the city, which had
been distracted from the pockets OF our
confiding and unsuspecting country cou-
sins. The enterprise was, however, dis
covered soon after it went into operation,
aud has been blighted in its infancy by
the prmopt application of official cold wa
ter.
The style of swindle is by no means
new, original, or calculated to deceive a
shrewG business man, but undoubtedly
many thousands of country merchants
who are rather loose and careless in their
manner Of carrying on business, or who
are deficient in caution, have been taken
in and done for the tune Of eighteen OIL
twenty dollars apiece.
About seven years ago man named
Bradley carried on q similar business
until be was detected and shown US BY
the police. He had his headquarters al
an Office in Cliff street, and it is shrewd'
| ly suspected that the same individual is
the prime moser in the present operation
The plan was as follows: to send to Q
man circular asking hun to become the
special agent in his town or county for a
certain Coffee Company. Induce ments
were held out that the coffee furnished by
this company would be of superior quail.
ty, and would be invoiced at rate that
would give country retailers a chance to
make at least SO per cent profit on tic
sale. If the man was disposed to accept
the agency, he was invited to remit to the
Coffee Company in New York small
SUN, varying from SIS to S22, to pay for
sample sncOice of coffee, which was to
be sent Immediately Oh receipt of the
money. When the victim accepted the
conditions and sent the money, as many
Of them did, that Of course was the last
they ever heard from the coffee company
or their money.
Messrs. Tappan 4 McKillop of the
Mercantile Agency, No. 5 Beekmsn St,
were induced by the sum of $500 to ad
dress for this Coffee Swindler fifteen thou
sand circulars to the country merchants,
whose names are GU their books, The
paid envelopes were furnished to Messrs
Tappap & Co., who addressed them, not
being aware of the nature Of the business
they were intended to serve. The ci.cu-
lar reads as follows:
WEST INDIA CoMPANY's COFFEE WARE
HOUSES, GEORGETOWN, DEMERARA,
W. l.-No.2O6 BROADWAY, and No. J
l55 Fulton STREET, N. Y.
New York. March 81, 1853.
Mr.. - Dear Sir We received yours
in request of our terms, which we trans
nit to you, relating to the agency of our
article in your town and county. We
shall be pleased TO give you the exclusive
sale of our West India coffee 10 your
place; and feel confident that large and
profitable trade will be the result when
it gets fairly known among consumers
You may depend that nothing will be
left undone by US to stimulate trade and
make the business mutually neicial
We should advertise it in every news
paper that eirculates through your section
appcndins your name as agent, and in
case you should accept the business, our
extensive advertising could not fail, We
think, to benefit your general trade.
We also agree to supply you with
landsome-framed show cards, handbilIs,
circulars, pamphlets, to all of which We
houll append your business card and
address.
Our coffee being a staple article, is
reely sought after; but as We wish to ex-
end the area of our business, We offer
Iou every induceuent to undertake the
ale of it in your town and county.
West ludia coffee packed in first pack.
ges.
No West Indian coffee costs &c.; re.
ais at l2c.
No. ? West India coffee costs &C.; re-
ails at l3o.
No. :. West India coffee costs Ilc.: re.
aiIs at l5c
Thus you will find a net profit of so
er cent.
We should request of you when selling
Iholesale to tho trade. to charge them
My liberal profit, that the business
lay progress however with your custom
RS. We do not wish to interfere but
,erely give you an iptimation, to whole
ale men it would be better to charge
lem as reasonable as possible to com
ensate you.
You need fear no competition as We sell
only one agent in town.
Our object in establishing depots is to
NIT our correspondence and save trou.
lie by giving an agency and having one
count 10 town instead ofprobably hav-
Z fifty book debts open.
10 Introduce our Coffee in the way we
ropose' would cost US about $50, for
bich We pay cash
The first few goods at starting we sell
r ash which III