Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-11-19
Pers1stent Impostors.


Some months ago we took occa-
sion to call attention to a combina-
ton of confidence-men located in the
city of New York, from where they
prosecute an illegal business through
the United States mails under the
guise of the publishers of news
paper Directory We say guise, for
under this ostensible business they
pursue a systematic, and persistent
scheme of blackmail. Those news
papers that are in a position to re-
fuse to have dealings with the Direc-
tory publishers are punished with
having their circulation underrated
in the so called Directory. Journals
that do the bidding of the concern
have their circulation over-estimat-
ed. The precious DirectOry-com-
piled on black-mailing principles,
pure and simple-is put forth as a
reliable guide to advertisers, who,
not all aware of the disreputable
practices of the directors Of the
Directory, may put confidence in the
utterly unreliable publication. Pub
fishing the Newspaper Directory
is only a small part of the calling of
the firm in question. They are adver-
tising entirely superiuous
middlemen, standing between the
publishers and public, and insisting
on a good round commission for
their ifth-wheel-to-a-wagon services.
Time and again we have refused
advertisements sent US by these IT.
responsible parties, because we have
no desire to have any dealings with
them.
When in these columns we de-
nounced the concern as a eonobina-
tion of confdence-men, we thORght
that we had secured immunity from
the opportunities of a set of impOs-
tors. Being kicked out of the front
door does not in the least affect the
sensibilities of the Directory pub
fishers. They merely pick them
selves up and come around to the
baek-gate and, finding that bolted,
they throw insulting missives over
the fence. Several such documents
have been hurled at us. And as it
is rather long throw from New
York to Philadelphia, the conven-
lent United States mail-a channel
of lntercommInication of which so
many confidence-men avail them
selves-is employed by the Direct
ory eompilers. Long ago we returned
some of these insolent letters unopen-
ed, informing the senders that we
desired no futher communication
with them. Even this decided snub
proved ineffective on the brazen
cheeks of the incorrigible confidence
men. Last week we received an
other communication from them,
which contained slip from their
Directory containing a false state
ment of our circulation. To save
themselves from a suit for damages,
the willy rogues insert behind the
lying figures the word estimated.
1t is quite as potent as the word al,
legged, which is made to cover al
of utterances that wolud
otherwise be legally libelous.
If these compilers of the Direc-
tory of newspapers know anything
of the circulation of old-established
journals published within hundred
miles of their main office, they know
that the circulation of the Dispatch |
is nearly double the figures they
warily publish as an estimate. Now, |
if we chose to do business with the |
Directory people, they would quickly |
put our circulation as far above the |
true figures as now it stands below.
We do not complain of the false
estimate, but merely desire to en-.
tighten the public on the inside
workings of the concern. As we |
refused to have anything to do with |
the confdenee-men, they thireted |
for revenge and the only way they |
could obtain it was to attempt to in |
jure our business by publishing a
gross and willfulIy.underrated esti-
mate of our circulation. Futher,
they inform us that the space in
their room reserved for our paper re-
mains vacant and they "presume
that neglect to send your publication
is the result of accident, rather
than of design" Nothing of the
sort, publishers of the Directory.
And YOU know it, and have know it
for long time. You have been in
formed that the Sunday Dispatch
desires no dealings with your concern
in any way. And your false esti-
mate of its circulation has not the
slightest influence on that well-con-
'idered and faithfully -adhered-to de-
To sensitive people, the efforts of
his Directory combination to force
is into their service, may SAVIOR so
strongly of blackmail as to demand
egal interference on the part of the
authorities. Rash individuals might l
,onstrue it into highwayman's de- +
nand of Commissions from you,
,r your life the bogus Directory
serving as pistol, and the lying {
igures as the powder and shot. !