Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-02-19
A Bold Scheme TO Swindle Exposed
and the SWindler Arrested.

Those honest people who hate rascality,
but who lose few opportunities to victim
ize themselves and put their hard-earned
dollars into the pockets OF the most ar
rant knaves in the country, will rejoice
in spirit in the unearthing of the latest
lottery swindle, which undoubtedly made
MANY of them smart in pocket while in
successful operation. This last scheme
presents "new departure" from the old
and acknowledged ways OF robbing by
lottery, in that none of the tickets were
sold, but were generously given away as
complimentaries by the large-hearted and
magnanimops promoter of the enterprise.
Many Of the residents of the country,
prominent or otherwise, have undoubted.
ly felt flattered of late by the receipt OF a
letter purporting to come from Maynard
81 CO., dealers in public lands, stocks,
ETC., Magnolia, Iowa, inclosing a num-
bered ticket, marked complimentary. The
letter informed the recipient that he had
been singled out for distinction, inasmuch
as the management had been informed
that he was prominent parsonage in
local circles, and that the firm of May
nard g. Go. hoped, and, in fact, believed,
that the aforesaid important individual
would interest himself in extending the
fame of the grand lottery enterprise in
which the firm was engaged, in return for
the mark of favor and esteem which they
had bestowed on him.
These circulars, with inclosed compli-
mentaries, were literally scattered
through the Western States, in all places
remote from the larger cities. In due
course of time the numerous gentlemen,
who felt honored by the first episties, were
exceedingly gratifed by the receipt of a
letter, which informed the recipient that
the great drawing had taken place, and
the firm of Maynard d. Co. were overjoyed
to make known to the addressed that the
ticket which he held had drawn one of
the miscellaneous gifts, valued at 5000,
which would be forwarded with alacrity
and dispatch upon the receipt OF
five per cent. on the valuation of the gift
Close upon the heels of this agree
able little surprise followed another mis-
sive from the munifcent Maynard
81 Co., informing the lucky hold.
ers of the prize tickets that owing
to the limited postal facilities OF
Magnolia the firm had concluded TO trans
fer the scene of their labors to Chicago,
and arrangements had been made with
the firm of N. III Bancroft 81 Co., financial
agents, No. 143 La Sale street, TO receive
all communications containing the five
per cent due on the prize. These letters
contained minute directions for mailing
the moneys and much thoughtful advice
on general principles, all of which was
calculated TO inspire unlimited confidence
in the purity of motive and business in
tegrity of the firm of Maynard 81 Co.
Of course large proportion OF the COM
plimentary stockholders were anxious TO
be gulled and for several weeks past the
firm of N. III. Bancroft 81 Co. has transact
ed a land office business, receiving from
thirty to forty letters day from the vic
Tins of the swindle, who are still awaiting
with anxious expectancy, for further
tidings Of their prizes. Mr.. U. r.
Hawley, Special Agent OF the Post
Office, suspected the fraudulent nature
of the business transacted by N. IL
Bancroft 81 Co., and made an investl.
CATION. II was ascertained that the firm Of
Maynard e. Co., dealers in public lands
stocks, ETC., alias N. III. Bancroft o. Co.,
financial agents, resolved itself into Q
single individual, whose real name Is sup.
posed to be Morris Mason, who, until ar.
rested, was transacting all the business OF
the establishment, which consisted 10
opening the ,noneyed letters and appro
pri2ting their contents. Mason was ar
raigned before Commissioner Hoyne, be
fore whom he made clean breast OF his
rascality and confessed his various short
comings with an air of deep pcnitence..
He was arraigned On the charge OF VIC
lating the postal laws by sending lottery
tickets and correspondence pertaining
thereto through the mails. The penalty