The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-27
EXTENSIVE SERIES OF SWINDLES.
Nearly Two Thousand Merchants VIc-
tImIZed-A Bogus Insurance PatrOlman
His Arrest and ArraIgnment,

His Arrest and ArraIgnment,
A rather novel case of swindling by which
nearly two thousand merchants of this city
have been defrauded of various sums of money,
was brought before Justice Hogan, at the
Tombs, yesterday afternoon. From the evil
dence before the court, it appears that man
named William Martin, on or about Septem-
ber 4, 1858, commenced calling on the mer-
chants of this city with paper purporting to
beasubscription list for the avowed purpose of
raising fund for the aid of the sick and desti-
tute members of the Insurance Patrol, at the
same time representing that he was authorized
to receive subscriptions for such fund, and
that he was member of the Insurance Patrol
himself.
The honesty of Martin was not brought in
question, and the matter being tavoIably re-
ceived, almost every merchant applied to sub
scribed from $5 to $l5. Martin, as the sub
scription list shows, had called at least eight
times at the store of Mr.. H. B. Clafin, on each
of which he received SO, and doubtless many
other merchants have received repeated calls
from Martin; for, according to appearances, he
was disinclined to shun any gentleman who
would be at all likely to add dollar to his
subscription list Every hotel, banking house,
shipping Office, etc., in the city had been
visited at least once or twice year by Martin,
and solicited, alike with the merchants, to aid
the sick and INDECENT members of the Insu-
rance Patrol
On the Goth of December last Martin called
upon Mr.. Walter H. Lewis, No. 78 Leonard
street, and presenting his list, had five dollars
more added to it. Subsequently Mr.. Lewis
learned that Martin was a swindler, but did
not see him again till yesterday, when he re-
appeared in the store and asked Mr.. Lewis for
further aid. Instead of receiving it, however,
in the manner he anticipated, Martin was
waited upon by Officer Green, of the Fifth
Precinct, and taken to the Tombs. On search
ing the prisoner the subscription list, con-
tanning the names of at least two thousand
merchants and other business men of this city,
with the sums subscribed by each, making in
the aggregate not less than ten thousand dol
lars, was found upon his person.
That the accused should have been nearly
nine years engaged in this species of swim
ding, and not detected till now, seems re-
markable, but it is nevertheless true. Mr.
Lewis made a complaint against Martin,
charging him with obtaining money under
false pretenses, and Justice Hogan committed
him to the Toombs for trial in default of BAIL
it appearing from Alfred Carson, Superintend-
ent of the Insurance Patrol, that Martin is
not member of the patrol, and to the best of
his belief never has been.
The accused is a native of this city, boat
man by occupation, and had nothing to say in
relation to the charge preferred against him.
! 1t is understood that Martin has squandered
most of the money thus fraudulently obtained
in purchasing lottery policies, realizing abso-
| lutely nothing on his investments. His sub
scrption list is believed to be nearly one hun
dred feet in length, and the first part of it was
so matted together that it could not be un-
! folded without tearing.-N. Y. Herald.