Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-18
The Elias swindIes in New York.
TFrom the Evening Postl

Further inquiry into the operations by which
the persons known as the Elias gang have for
several years past defrauded tens of thousands
Of unsophiSticated persons and amassed large
fortunes, has led to the discovery of a number
OF bold, ingenious ami extensive swndling
schemes, OF the existence OF which the public in
general has hitherto been entirely ignorant.
One OF these schemes in which Ellis II. Elias
has been engaged upward of three years with
out being lntertered with by the police, and
which has proved a perfect gold mine for him,
is the Spanish policy business. The office from
which this Swindle is carried on is a small room
in the second story of the house on the southeast
corner OF Amity street and south 9th avenue,
aud the manager of the concern is man known
among the members of the Elias gang as Clip"
and calling himself "Marchandez" on the cir
culars setting forth in glowing terms the advan-
tages which "the royal Spanish lottery" offers
to the public. These circulars are close imta-
tions of the circulars of those of the agents of
the genuine "royal Spanish lottery" and Zip
assumed the name of Marchandez probably on
account of its similarity TO that of the real
agent. The tickets OF the first drawings of Mar
chandez's or rather Elias "roval Spanish lot
terry" are advertised to cost from thirty-fve
cents to ten dollars, but persons remtting
him money for tickets never receive any answer
whatever very large number of letters with
valuable enclosures for tickets arrive daily from
all parts OF the country and are opened by Clip"
who receives from Elias weekly salary of thirty
dollars.
During the last few DAYS Zip" has been as.
sisted at his post office by Mr.. Joseph L. Con
stantine, formerly Elias's chief "saw,dust"
manager, under the alias of Robert Earl, al 147
Blocker street, and of Chas. w. Lawson, at 81
Canal street, then salesman at the store of the
s0-called Geneva Watch Company" at 1858
Broadway, and still later superintendent of Eli
ass Cuban Gift concert swindle, at No. IS Bond
street. Since the exposure of Constantine's
connection with these infamous enterprises he
has deemed it prJ dent TO show himself as little
as possible in public. He receives from Elias
the same salary as Tip
ELIAs's POsTOFFICEs.
In order to render it more difficult for his vic
Tins TO trace to himself or his tools the rascal
ties by which he enriches himself, Elias has es
tablishcd three private postofices-al No 6SS
Broadway, at No. 16 South Fifth avenue, and on
Thirty-frst street near Seventh avenue-where
persons may have Their letters sent at an extra
charge of a few cents. A great many men avail
themselves of this for vile purposes but nine
tenhs of the letters Tecei ed these offices are
destined for Elias. The letter-carrier takes TO
No. 16 South Fifth avenue, every day, large
packages of letters addressed TO the various fc-
tciOus firms representing Elias,
The postofficc detectives say that they are well
aware Of the existence OF these offices; but the
law, as explained yesterday, gives them no au-
tbority to seize correspondence until they know
that the names are fictitious. If any man gives
his neighbors permission 10 have their letter lett
in his store or Office they must be left there.
The post office at No. 1G South Fifth avenue is
ostensibly stationery and cheap publication
store, but this is a mere blind to direct atten-
ton from the real character of the Place. 1t is
managed by young man named Conklin, to
whom Elias pays SIS a week,
ELIAS TOOLS.
Among the principal agents aud tools of Elias
are Augustus Washington Marsh, 'Doc." Ham,
ilton, +. Bertinet, Major A. Wright, Hen. Jones'
Joseph L. Constantine and Madame Curran
Marsh is at present bOOk-keeper of the Geneva
Watch Company" He came from Cincinnati,
where his employers and partners threatened
him with criminal prosecution for embezzle-
ment, and where he was expelled from Mag
nolia Lodge, /. o. o F., for swindIing. On ar
irving in this city he formed partnership with
one Lockwood, and opened hoop skirt Store on
White street. The firm failed and Marsh
having concealed part OF the stock from the
creditors, was imprisoned on the 9th of Novem
Der, 1870, in Ludlow street Jail. He remained
there until March l, 1871, when Ellis II. Elias
procured his release and appointed him super
intendent of "The Merchants and Manufacture
ers' Cooperative Union" in the Metropolitan
Hotel block, which Capt, Walsh broke up in
April last.
On the night of the seizure of the goods by
the police, Marsh boosted that he had succeeded
IN conveying, unknown to Captain WalSh'S
men, siXty-fiye thousand dollars worth of Jew
cry from ava and 59B Broadway, TO the store of
Il. II. Elias, Elias youngest brother, on the
corner of Broadway and Houston street.
Marsh next figured as Dr. Dclmar at Elias
office on Ihirtyrst street for the sale of the So
called indicated pipe and tobacco, both of which
were miserable swindles. After doing nothing
for several months Marsh was appointed by
Elias as manager of the "Emigrant Protectory
AssQpiatipn,' for which he wrote the copy Of
the circular and ticket, and directed the envel-
opes destined Tor philanthropic persons IN Great
Britain and ireland. Upon the opening of the
Geneva Watch Company" Walsh was trans.
TERED from No, IS Bond street TO No 1G3 Broad,
way, and BECAME bookkeeper of the Com
pany."
"Doc." Bertinet represented Elias in the swim.
ding firm of 81. L, Williams Co.." which
sometime ago defrauded a great many people
by selling them worthless watches. He was
also concerned in the "Emigrant protectory as
ISOLATION" "Hon." Jones, formerly member
of the Cincinnati police force, was brought by
Elias to this city. He managed for a time one
of Eas's private post offices, and, owing to his
herculean form and extraordinary strength, has
the honor of being Mr.. Elias's principal "hee-
er." Madame Curran was the nominal man
aver of "The merchants and manufacturers
cooperative union" last year, and, during the
holiday season, acted as "Foor-walker' at the
dollar store of the Eliases