Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-03-20
NO. So.
Aaiseetlausuns.
THE ELIAS SWINDLEE.

THE ELIAS SWINDLEE.
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
and extensive swindling schemes. of the
existence of which the public in general
mas hitherto been entirely ignorant.
one OF these schemes in which Ellis H.
Elias has been engaged upward of three
years without being interfered with by the
ponce, and which has proved perfect
gold mine for him, is the Spanish Policy
business. The Office from which this
swindle is carried on is small room in
the second story of the house on the south.
east corner of Amity street and south Fifth
avenue, and the manager of the concern
Is man known among the members of
the Elias gang as Tip, and calling him
self "Marchandez" on the circulars setting
forth in glowing terms the advantages
which 1.-The Royal Spanish Lottery" offers
to the public. These circulars are close
limitations OF the circulars of those of the
agents OF the genuine ''Roval Spanish Lot
terry" and Tip assumed the name of
Marchandez on account of its similarity to
to that OF the real agent. The tickets for
) Tor the first drawings of Marchandez's or
rather Elias's" Royal Spanish Lottery" are
advertised to cost from thirty-five cents to
ten dollars, but persons renting his
money for tickets never received any
answer whatever. A very large number
OF letters with valuable enclosures for
tickets arrive daily from all parts of the
country and are opened by Tip who re-
ceives from Elias weekly salary of thirty
dollars.
During the last few days Tip" has been
assisted at his postoffice by Mr.. Joseph l..
Constantine. formerly Elias's chief 'ssaw-
dust" manager, under the alias of Robert
Earl, at l47 Bleecker street, and of Chas.
w. Lawson, at 81 Canal street, then a
salesman at the store of the so-called
"Geneva Water Company" at 1853 Broad
way, and still later superintendent of
Elias's Cuban Gift Concert swindle. at
No. % Bond street. Since the exposure
OF Constantine connection with these in
famous enterprises he has deemed 1t pru-
dent to show himself as little as possible
in public. He receives from Elias the
same salary as Tip"
In order to render it more difficult for
his victims to trace to himself or his tools
the rascalities by which he enriches HIM
self, Elias has established three private
postoffices-at No. 6S8 Broadway, at No,
10 South Fifth avenue, and on Thirty-fi
street near Seventh avenue-where per-
sons may have their letters sent at an ex.
ira charge of few cents. A great many
men avail themselves of this for vile pur-
poses, but nine-tenths of these letters re-
ceived at these offices are destined for
| a of for orrio tab 70 NJ
South Fifth avenue every day large pack
ages of letters addressed to the various
fictitious firms representing Elias.
The postoffice detectives say that they
are well aware of the existence of these
offices; but the law, as explained yester-
day, gives them no authority to seize cor
respOndence until they know that the
names are fictitious. If any man gives
his neighbors permission to have their
letters left in his store or Office they must
be left there.
The postoffice at No. 16 South Fifth av-
enue is ostensibly stationery and cheap
publication store, but this is mere blind
to direct attention from the real character
of the place. 1t is managed by a young
man named Conklin, to whom Elias pays
fifteen dollars week
Among the principal agents and tools
of Elias. are Augustus Washington Marsh,
doc" Hamilton, +. Bertinet, Major A.
Wright, Hen. Jones, Joseph L. Constan-
tine and Madame Curran. Marsh is at
present book-keeper of the Geneva
Watch Company" He came from Gin.
cinnati, where his employers and partners
threatened him with a criminal prosecu-
ton for embezzlement, and where he was
expelled from Magnolia Lodge, l. o. 0.
F., for swindling. On arriving in this
city, he formed a partnership with one
Lockwood, and opened hoop skirt store
on white street. The firm failed, and
Marsh having concealed part of the stock,
was imprisoned on the 9th NOyem-
Der, 1870, in Ludlow street Jail. He re-
mained there until March /, 1871. when
Ellis III. Elias procured his release and
appointed him superintendent of 1.-The
Merchants and Manufacturers Co-opera-
tive Union" in the Metropolitan Hotel
block, which Captain Walsh broke up in
April last.
On the night of the seizure of the goods
by the police Marsh boasted that he had
succeeded in conveying, unknown to Capt.
Walsh's men, sixty-ive thousand dollars
worth of jewelry from 595 and 500 Broad.
way to the store of r. II. Elias, Elias's
youngest brother, on the corner Of Broad.
way and Houston street.
Marsh next figured as DIR. Delmar at
Elias's office on Thirty-first street for the
sale of the so-called medicated 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 As.
sociation," for which he wrote the copy Of
the circular and ticket, and directed the
envelopes destined for philanthropic per-
sons in Great Britain and Ireland. Upon
the opening of the Geneva Watch Com
pany," Walsh was transferred from No. IL
Bond street to No 763 Broadway, and be.
came bookeeper of the Company"
"Doc. "Bertinet represented Elias in the
swindling firm of u. +. Williams & Co.,"
which some time ago defrauded great
many people by selling them worthless
watches He was also concerned in the
Immigrant Protectory Association"
"Hen." Jones, formerly member of the
/ A A.x