New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-03-08
A CIRCULAR FROM WASHINGTON.
HANDSOMELY PRINTED INVITATIONS TO MEMOIR.

sEKNICK-FOEGED NAMEs-A DISAPPOINTMENT.
10y TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUSEl
WASHINGTON, March IA gang of confidence
men, having their headquarters in this city, have
been collecting money in New-York and perhaps
in other cities for pretended testimonial TO the
n'emOry of the late Bayard Taylor.
The first information of it received in Washington
was contained in letter written by one of the vic
tins IN New-York to friend here asking him to
inquire about the matter and report. 1t seems that
ten days or two weeks ago a man who sad his
name was j. Everett GrlswOld called upon
prominent gentlemen in New-York, known to
be admirers of Bayard Taylor, presenting them
with a handsomely Imprinted card of invitation
to attend memorial services in this city and
solicited from them subscriptions to a testimonial
He exhibited "A letter signed by " DR.. Otto Won
Reinfclds, Secretary" and dated Rooms of the
Bayard Taylor Memorial Committee, Y. NJ. G.. A.
Hall, Washington, ID. c., February II, 1879" this
address being printed heading Of a
sheet Of letter paper. The letter set forth
that national memorial services were to be
held in Lincoln Hall, in this city, Oh the
evenins of March 3. to which the gentlemen adj
dressed were invited, and solicited a subscription
to a testimonial. paper was also exhibited
which contained the names, apparently in their
handwriting, of prominent New-York gentlemen,
among them Peter Cooper and John J. Astor, who
were represented to have subscribed 800 each
Inquiry at the Young Mems Christian Assoca-
ton building disclosed the fact that no such COM
mitee had rooms there. The gentleman who re-
ccIves the mail for most of the tenants in that
building said that numerous letters addressed
to such n committee had been brought there
by the letter carriers. but had been invariably
returned to the post Office by the carrier who
brought them. At the rooms of the Young Mems
Christian Association it was found that several let
tiers had been received and had been placed III the
box containing the mail for members of the aSsoca-
ton. These letters had been taken away but no
one knew by whom.
A subsequent letter from the gentleman in New
York who first gave information of this swindlc
announced that on February % he received a cir
cuar dated the previous letter had been, saying
that the memorial services had been unavod-
ably postponed, but subscribers and those
invited would be duly informed of the
date when they were to be held. This
circular was signed Frederick S. White.
responding secretary" The name of neither of the
men mentioned above Is TO be found in the Wash
ington CITY directory. They made no arrangements
for the use of Lincoln Hall on the Sd of March, or
upon any other day, and the fact that they are con-
fidence men is established beyond doubt.
As soon the true character of the scheme was
discovered the Post Office officials in this city
informed and requested 10 take measures for he ar
rest Of the swndlcrs. At that time there in the
general delivery letter addressed 10 the pretended
committee with request written along the end that
if IT was not called for within five days II
shOlld be returned to "lrederc DE PeystcT DID,
as University place, Ncw-Iork." Before the
could be properly placed III the hands of tn" Special
Accents of the Treasury Department for invest ga
tlon this letter had been delivered, and the clerks
of the Post Office were unable TO remember who
had called for 1t.