Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-04-15
sawdust swindlers Come to Grief.


coming to grief The other day, in
New York, two of them were sen
fenced TO imprisonment for one year
and to pay fine of $1,000. Four
barrels full of confidential letters
were captured with these men, and
an immense number of envelopes ad-
dressed, ready for mailing, were al
50 seized. These circulars state that
counterfeit money, which it is impos-
sible to detect, will be sent TO any
person forwarding certain specified
amounts. For instance, says the cir
cular: "The price of my money is
500 for $1,000, one-half cash, and
me other half as soon as received"
For large amounts liberal discount
is allowed. The circular continues
f.' When a large amount is sent pack it in
box aud mark it ia such a manner that no
one would suspect its being money. and send
It BY express Always state when you order
how you want the money sent, and give US
the name of your neare st express office. j
will send you a semple package, assorted, on
receipt OF 50, so you can see how il passes
then you can order a large lot. BY all means
come at once and see me il possible, and
bring all the money you can possibly raise
with you, 50 you will be prepared to buy
large stock, for thi, may be the last chance
you will ever have to make a fort une at
single stroke"
Itis not a very fattering conan
tary on American honesty to be told
that tens of thouands of people il
every part of the country annually
send for this money. 1t is amazing,
too, that though the swindle has
been over and over again exposed in
almost every newspaper of the coun-
try, a certain class of people live in
sublime ignorance Of the trick, and
are as ready to be gulled now as
when the shrewd game was first in
vented dozen years ago. Now
AID then a maR who cares more for
his money than his reputation, and
who finds, when the valuable box
sent G. o. D is opened, that il is full
of sawdust, and nothing else, replev-
les his cash from the express COM
pany before it is sent from the Office;
but, as a general thing, tho victim
who has been thus deservingy swim.
died chooses to submit in silence.
Hundreds Of people who have re-
coived these circulars, and pond
over them, will recognize as famllia
the following paragraph, with which
they close:
fbaS / bas Il %
enough in you TO send a circular of this kind
relating the nature Of my business, that you
would not be SO treacherou. as 10 even
breathe the contents OF this docume 10
living being should you betray me | will
fad means 10 be avenged in a way, perhaps,
you would not dream Of. If you do not wish
to enier into shis confidential business with
me, all ask is, that YOU burn this circular,
and let the secre, die With the flame. On the
other hand, il you conclude TO enter into this
speculation, that will IN l few weeks make
you a wealthy man. would alsoaskyou to burn
the circular and preserve the secret, as when
this circular is destroyed all evidence against
you and me is obiterated."
The writer states, beside, that be
Is the most expert engraver in the
United States, having been employ
ed ten years by the Government,
and that large sums of this money
have been lodged in six banks in
New York without detection. He
advises his friends and patrons, how
ever to mix little genuine money
with it whom depositing it in large
quantities, to avoid suspicion, and
cautions them against the use of
strong drink, as when intoxicated
the secret may be revealed. 1t is
perfectly evident from the surpriS
ing success of these swindIers tina
the circular is well calculated to
achieve the purpose OF its authors
though it would seem to need no ex
posture.
The victim never stops 10 ask
Why in the world tho manufacturers
Of this wonderful money, which alb
solutely de6es detection in the hanks,
does not use it himself. and why he
should foll 81 600 Of such exceller
currency fer 800 of something pa
cisely like it? But nothing Of this
kiDd occurs to them they only ace
an opportunity OF obtaining sudden
wealth, aud with the greed aud dis
regard of ordinary honesty so COM
NOR in life, place themselves voluD-
tarily in the path Of crime, and es-
cape finally, not because either own
scruples, but because the person
duping them is not so big a rascal as
be declares himself TO be. 1t was
for long time thought to be i'm
possible to convict these men, but
way has fualIy been found, it seems,
and it is probable the whole fratern-
ity will soon be brought to grief.