The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-01-18

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AN UNHEALTHY HoTEL-The Johns E
town Tribune of Tuesday furnishes the fol- /
lowing particulars of q new-fangled swindle ;
which found a victim among many others in 1
Mr.. John ID. Hughes, former well known |
and greatly esteemed citizen of this place, /
but now and for many years past a resident /
of fJohnstown. who fortunately, however, was 1
saved from loss by the arrest of tue swindlers !
a day or two before his remittance came into !
their hands. The Tribune says:
Last week one of the most important conn !
dence schemes that we have heard OF in a long !
time was unearthed at Sidney. Nebraska and /
an extended account OF the matter will furnish !
interesting rea ding, as there is a local signfh-
cance attached to il. and a moral which can be !
of December last a letter was mailed from Sid |
ney, and directed to Mr.. John d. Hughes, Johns |
and the penmanship was of the most business
like hand. 1t read as follows:
SIDNEY HOUSE, SIDNEY, NEB..}
JOHN F. WILSON, Proprietor.
john ID. Hughes
DEAR SIR: On the soth of last montl. gentle |
man stopped at my hotel, registering his name as
III. Hughes, rom the Black Hills. On the way
down on the stage he caught severe cold, which
days ago Not knowing anything in regard TO
his relatives l examined his trunk and found it
silver ounted revolvers a gold ring and many ,
other valuables. 1 also found some papers con-
Hug hes, Johnstown, Pa. On seeing 0fs and sup
write. as the contents of the trunk IS very Salu
able. l would also say that Mr., Hughes owes
me a balance for board, ETC., as follows:
One weeks board. $40 oc
Paid undertaker............... 1880
Total. $2s 90
Believing you to be the proper person to receive
the effects of the deceased l will forward the
trunk and contents TO You on receipt of amount
N m
bills have not re ceived, but as am not respon-
sbe for them do not propose to pay them unless
Yours, etc, joHN F. WILSON
AsMr. Hughes has brother in the Far est
somewhere, from whom he has not heard for a
long time. and as the statements in The letter
seemed plausible enough, he came to the cons
right in ali that he proposed doing. So I've call
ed on Esq. Fisher, to consult with him in regard
been incurred 10y the landlord of the Sidney
House. The Squire was inclined to look with
send his personal check on the First National
Bank of Jnhnstown for the sum OF a,S. SO, but,
at the same time, took care to write ucrOsS the
face of it, For trunk and funeral expenses"
/ intending, il it turned out to be confidence
3 game. that he would refuse payment of the
! paper when il came back, and thus block the
game of Wilson. The check was sent the
! 3ist OF December last, and arrived ut Sidney
just about the time that the proprietor of the
/ hotel was arrested. Following is u copy of
! tn" letter in which il was enclosed:
OFFICE OF J. II. FISHER,
JUsT-CE THE PEACE.
A, !.
! J. F. TVason, Esq,
DRAR SIR: Mr.. John d. Hughes merchant
tailor Of this place, has just show your letter
the Mr hughes who died your hotel
have been his brot her, who, when last heard
close YOU my check Tor the amount Of your bill,
and you will please 70 orward by express the trunk
mentioned, and also please give US such particu-
lars of MIR. Hughes death as you know, and
d where he was buried.
Very respectfully, you're, H Fisher
T.
/ from North Platte. Nebraska, several days be-
/ fore the Wilson letter was received, and who
! requested by Mr.. Hughes TO stop at Sidney aud
make some inquiry in relation to The death Of
he wrote back that n puck of scDuIidres had
( been carrying on extensive operations in the
six months they had oecn at Z he same swindlin9
dodge OF writing 10 parties in the East just
such ini OrmatiOn as had been sent TO our friend,
MIR. Hughes, here. 1t happened they hHd been
arrested DAY DAY or two before ne arrived tnere
among their personal effects. This he stated
was in possession OF MIR. n. ID. Ball, L. 5. Mar
shal at Omaha.
II seems that during one day no less than
, three hundred Black.Hillers died at the Sidney
HousI-that is, Mr.. " ilson'- clerk sent out TO
various towns and villages III Eastern States
. Mr. Hughes, only changing the names aud IL
dress 10 suit location. A special agent, nam ed
SeySolt, was put on the track OF the swinders.
On last Saturday week ago he went TO Sidney,
ana founn by meaus OF a GccOy letter that John
c. Lee, who resided in thar place. was the ohm
F. wilson OF the sidney House aud he
"shadowed" him until the following day, when
. his man took out seven letters from the post
Office box, which were al! from Peunsy iVania,
and addressed j. r. Wilson" On Monday OF
last week he receive eight letters, and the
detective was satisfied from The movements of
Lee that he tSeybold) was recognized, he placed
his warrant OF arrest in the hands OF the Sher-
III, VINO served the docuinen; that evening.
/ Finding that the game up he gave the
name OF L. w. Morgan as his ucCUmpice, and
that individual was immediately captured. In
3 his possession iwcDty-uuc iUtIers addressed TO
j. r. Wilson were discovered,
On searching Murgdn's room, printed letter
! headings were found, the as the letter
sent 70 Mr. J. ID. Hughes, aud also n long list
( from each posIoGiiCe. The addresses were prin-
cipaliy OF parties residing III Peunsy ivania. Hi
/ nois, Tennessee, ONO. and Missouri A pre-
/ nmtnary hearing was given the prisoners, and
II was decided 10 hold them for triai. in default
OF sl.CJU bail. Lee formerly resided in Omaha
( where he was III the lottery business for some
. time, and mus secured the names OF thousands
I OF persons throughout the country who arc
ANXIOUS to make money 10y chance. Morgan
Agency, ana was always considered of excel
3 lent character.
{ In writing up this matter at such length ii is
. TO be hoped that some of our readers may be
5 taught useful lesson which is, tnat schemes
+ by which wealth may be acquired easily, on
complying With requests sent out by circular
or letter, can always be set down the swIu-
. ding lodges OF confidence men, aud guIlible
people who bite at specious schemes little
II any better than the persons by whom they
are duped.
( A RARE MUSICAL TREAT.-St Johns