The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-09-04
A BAREFACED SWINDLE.
The Hemc Gazette and the Yiclimizing Of
Boarding House Keepers.
Statements Of Several Landiadies-How the
swindle Was MISUNDERSTANDING
Cool Impudence-Ahsurd Representa-
tons Concerning the Herald

IHo "IiteI oaneu yesterday upvu eO'ci"' NN"N
ing house keepers to ascertain the facts concerning
the representations which have OF late by certain
parties been made concerning the HERALD IN con-
nection with sheet called the Home Gazette. The
statements made by the boarding house keepers
interviewed are very conclusive that swinde
has been perpetrated, not only upon them, out
upon the HERALD through false representations,
and that large number OF persons have been
victlmlzed by some sharpers who, in the most I'M
blushlnR manner, have gone from house TO house
carrying on bareiaced fraud
The first call was made upon Mrs. Kavanagh,
who keeps q boarding house at No. 223 West
Twenty-iourth street. This lady stated that for
month past she has been pestered by man VINO
has called upon her, endeavoring to obtain an ad-
vertisement from her. Mrs. Kavanagh added that
this PERSONA young man. with light mustache
and fair compleixon-nrst visited her about one
month ago and stated to her that the HERALD had
decided, owing to the dulness OF the times, to re-
duce its rates OF advertising and that he
was authorized to take advertisements for IL.
He added that he was connected with concern
known as the Home Gazette and that he, with sew
eral Others, had made an arrangement by which
the HERALD would insert advertisements pro-
cured by agents OF the Gazette alter the date OF
August 20. The card which the party left was
printed one, having the name OF the Home Gazette
upon It, and the person mentioned had stated that
he would send boarders TO her If she ould consent
to patronize the plan which he represented was
about to become public He did not state that the
advertisements would be In the Home Gazette, but
in the HERALD; at the same time he said she
would find It to her advantage to be registered at
the ONCE Of the Gazette Mrs. Kavanagh had not
cared to dabble IN the matter, and she suspected
that omethlng was wrong. The young man called
two or three times, but she concluded no bargain
with him. and be never returned after the time
that certain editorial had been published IN the
HERALD denouncing the swnde, though he had
lett the card OF the Home Gazette ONCE,
setting forth the advantages OF the
concern. Almost daily Mr.. Kavanagh.
the lady's husband, told the reporter that he had
told his wife to give no countenance to these af-
fairs, as he had already paid out money TO register
the name OF the house in the ONCE OF Messrs q. D.
Hankins Co., No. 1,267 Broadway, but had failed
to receive any advantage from it, and ne concluded
not to patronize any such affairs any more. He
had several times since advertised in the HERALD,
but had heard nothing OF any reduction OF rates,
which convinced him that there was something
wrong in the representations OF the persons who
had called and when he saw the editorial in the
HERArD he noticed ne was not called upon any
more about the matter. He had understood from
several boarding house landladies that they had
been swnded out OF money On the same represen-
tatons from the same party, which made him still
more determined to give the matter no counte-
nance.
The reporter then called at NO. 900 West
Twenty fourth street, almost opposite the last
named place, boarding house kept by two sisters
Mrs. Schoomaker and Mrs. Blauvelt The former
lady was out Of town. but the writer had an inter-
view with the latter lady. In answer to questions
by She reporter as to whether she had been visited
by parties representing themselves as having any
kind OF connection with the HERALD for purposes
Of advertising, Mrs. Biauvelt said
1.-TWO parties have called upon me concerning
this matter. The first was q young man OF fair
complexion, With light mustache and blue
eyes, who said that he came from the HERALD, and
that reduction mad been made In the rates OF
advertising OF that paper In consequence OF the
TACT that the proprietor OF the HERALD had become
afiord 20 pay the rates which had been CHARGED
heretofore. The new arrangement was that on and
after August 70 sheet was 10 be started In con-
nectlOn with the HERALD and sent with that
paper to all houses and newsdealers, in which
the rates were to be very greatly reduced. That s
81 20 IN the HERALD would only come to thirty
eight cents week in the new paper. which was to
be folded up with the HERALD and sent In all cases
as . part OF itself The arrangement was that the
boarding house keepers should pay 81 in advance
and s. at the expiration Of three months or
when the boarders were secured. He represented
to me-" said Mrs. Blauvelt "that under this ar
rangement the greatest advantages could be Sc
cured to the keepers OF boarding houses, because
they would have all the advantage OF the great
circulation OF the HERALD without paying the
charges Of that paper. He was very good talker
and was so apparently honest that paid the So,
and he said the other s. would not be called Tor
until the boarders were in the house. asked him
Tor receipt for the money, but he said there was
no niece sity for that as he would give tile receipt
for the whole sum at the one time. When he was
through with this he drew from his pocket copy
Of the Home Gdzette-ne mad great many OF
them with him-and said that was the paper IN
which the advertisement would go. was rather
surprised at this, because had heard OF the Home
Gazette and knew something about 1t, but sup
posed that be was speaking OF an entirely new
paper. He said this was the paper In which the
advertisement should 20, but 1t was only after
August % tnat 1t would be Incorporated with hhe
HERALD. He also showed me the blank form Of o
receipt, but did not use it,.
The HERALD reporter showed Miss Blauvelt
blank, which she recognized as being identical
with the one which the man she spoke OF had
shown her. It runs thus:-
SS No. -lsH
e The Publishers of"rhe New York Home Gazette"$
care hereby authorized to insert-----advertise-
$vment or notice ---tmes tn----hnesS