Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-07-20
Ingenious SMindIe.


The american AgricuIturist for July
gives the following expose of new
swindling dodge:
GAIUs w. HUBBARD, JR,, AGAIN This
scoundrel who has his headquarters at 20S
Broadway, is full of ingenious swindlng
schemes. The pretended counterfeit mon
ey or sawdust game he has worked under
a great variety of names, and in this, as in
other cases, he usually manages to operate
upon other dishonest people in such way
that they cannot appear as witnesses
against him without eliminating them
selves. Here is one Of his latest swindles.
The following is copy of many similar
documents returned to us by honest peo-
pie. Hubbard had large lot of them
written out and forwarded to different
parties all over the West. They are all
alike except in the name of the person
addressed. (The bill-head is neatly print
ed in the usual form; the rest is written.)
NEW YORK, May 18th, 1871.
Mr.. ". p. Gitlenac1ttus, R0gersoitte, Tam.
To DuRvIN, ELLIOTT Co.,
Importers and Manufacturers of
Watches, Jewelry and silverware,
No 19S Broadway.
Wholesale Department up stairs.
For repairs on Hunting, Stem Winding, Gold
Chronometer, made by Jugerson, No. Is, q, viz
/ ii O
I Main Spring, and Cleaning ......... 1.25
Fine Lever. regulating, etc. ........ 500
l Gold Cap, Eng'd ...-.......... 6.50-$20. 25
Please remit by Express
DsAR SIR.-The above watch received from you
21st Feby. is now ready for delivery. You were
correct when you stated 1t could not be repaired
outside of this city.-We have had great Difficult
ty with it, but Is now In thorough order, and we
warrant 1t to keep correct time for five years.
You wrote that the watch was found and desired
to know it's worth. 1t is very valuable time
1ans IT,, 4
Is now worth $500, and for any one desiring cor
rect time piece, II really cheap at its first COST.
Please remit the amount of above bill by express,
and the watch will be Immediately forwarded
Oblige by responding at once. rs every day IL re-
mains with us entails additional trouble and ex.
pense. Respectfully, DURvIS, ELLIOTT Co., 1888
Broadway, N. Y.
After mailing sundry thousands of the
above, Hubbard got out regular power
OF Attorney, signed by DurvIn, Elliott 81
Co. probably the real names of some of
his employes), directing the Express
Companies to deliver their parcels to him
self The result was that many dishonest
people said to themselves. swell, there is
no such person hereabouts, and If there
was, the watch was found and did not
belong to him, and I'll privately forward
the $2025 and get the watch and keepit
OF course, Hubbard pocketed the funds
and let the dupes whistle for their money
They dare not expose themselves by com
planning and if they did, they would find
no Durvin, Elliott II Co, at 1893 Broad
way, for the building is unoccupied-such
buildings are often selected as their ndoer-
tised headquarters by various swindlers.
OF course no thoroughly honest person
would forward money for watch not be
longing to him, but he would promptly do
as Mr.. Gillenwaltus and others have done,
forward the documents to this office, or
elsewhere, for investigation.
We have given considerable space to the
description of this particular swindle to
illustrate how ingenious are the lodges
resorted to, and to show that great care
should be exercised in responding TO cir.
culars, etc, from unknown parties. We
confess, also, to little satisfaction in
showing those who have had hand in
sending the thousands of dollars in re-
spouse to this operation, how completely
they have been done for" in their dis
honest attempts to get watches not be-
longing to them.