Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-24
A FEW FOOLS LEFT.
The Bogus ssMercarfiIe Prize AssO-
eiation''-Hcw it Was Proposed 10
sxindIe Southern NewspaPers-Post-
master HassIOck ON the Alert.

eiation''-Hcw it Was Proposed 10
sxindIe Southern NewspaPers-Post-
master Hassl0ek ON the Alert.
In the Graphic an expose is made of an
old swindler who has turned ur III new
clothes at the New York PostOffice, where
he has been Stripped of his borrowed plu-
image and exposed. He is known various
" as Fuller, Bates & Co., Harvey, Jacobs
& Co., Thomas a. Monks & Co., and Har-
vey, Conant & Co. His local babitstion Is
the Herald Building, where all letters are
to be addressed. His business is. that Of
an advertising agent. For several days
past this enterprising firm has been sending
out handsomely printed circulars to the
publishers OF Southern and Western
tlsements which they wish inserted for
one month or three months, with request
TO forward bill, less commission, with
marked copy Of paper, on receipt of. which
check will be RENTED to YOU 4 post
script adds that marked copy OF the paper
must al~ays be Sent with the bill. The
firih 'refer by permission to- Fulder, Ly-
man * CO., bankers, 102 Nassau street;
NJ. l.. Townley & Co., importers, l07
Broadway; Ansell w. Murrell, Fsc.; Pies
lUclN Ooiu-
Pany. and Nelson L. Wormsley, President
Home National Bank. The object of the
swinders in placing these free advertise
ments is to secure widespread notice OF
the Mercantile Prize Association" q ttulf
benevolent Institution EhiEk PURPOSES to
Distribute ss'sn0D in cash gifts by daily
drawings. This
STUPENDoUs SCHEME OF FRAUD
is so grandiloquently worded that it could
deceive only the jewellers in the rural dis
tricts. In these times OF pYo5tfated bust
ness eply the simplest would believe that
rrizes OF 100000, $4,000, ETC., were daily
being tossed about the streets of New York.
For twenty-five cents "a ticket is drawn in
a sealed envelope and mailed to any adj
dress" If it draws q prize laiid all dO) the
happy msn hrs only 10 send an additional
dollar and his prize is Immediately sent
to any address by express or return mail
That the rural public may know that they are
fairly dealt with the Herald is quoted as
saying, '.Fair dealing can he relied upon;o
the TRIBUNE is. quoted as authority that it
il 'not one of the humbugs of the day"
and the World declares it ga genuine dis
tributiOn." ANY quantity of individual
references to persons who have
DRAWN LARGE PRIZES
are given. The narnes IF The managers OF
the "Mestaftile Association" are legion.
! The scheme worked well at the start. The
country newspapers bit at the three months
advertisement, and gave it a full display.
One would judge so by the letters and
newspapers that came IN upCn theh. The
pOst@effiee authorities were
on THE ALERT
as soon as the rogues had got into the held.
A special agent has been anXiOusly looking
I'D the haunts of the advertisers, but
they have not vet been found. Hun
dreds OF newspapers and letters are await
ing their appearance. 1t will be pity If
they do not claim them, for they
must have spent hundreds of dol
lars in getting out their clrcu-
lars and for postage end stati5iiery. Sim
ulteneOusly with sending out their adver
tisements the firm seem to have posted a
good many individual letters containing
announcements of prizes drawn. y letter
was received from Postmaster HasslOck, of
this city, enclosing a printed scheme Of the
"Mercantile Prize Association" with the
name Of "Andrew Walters & Co., 8 Spruce
street, n. =" appended as agents. Mr..
Hasslock's letter says: "The enclosed cir
cular was received by Miss A. E. Hewgley,
Mount Juliet Station, Tenn, with ticket
good fol one melodeOn' if she will send
$50. l have advised her not TO send, as
| think 1t Is swindle." Miss Hewgley has
saved her money by taking good advice. In
all such cases our country friends will do
well to consult the nearest postmaster be-
| fore parting with their cash. The same
swindlers, under The name of an. II.
Leighton, No. $50 Broadway" appear to
be in business also as sawdust swinJlers,
protesting to send
COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY
to those who are willing to pay twelve dol
lars for a box containing three hundred
dollars, and larger amounts in proportion.
Money, of course, is to be sent by express.
| The circular is plausiblej urging the eIedu-
lous to send bills that have been worn, in
| order that their receiver may mix ii with
their new counterfeits in making their bank
deposits, and suggesting that the dealer in
the duplicates shall abstain from strong
drinks in order to better carry on his trade.
The extent Of this last great swindle and
the money lavished upon It's preparation
prove that the fools are not all dead yet.