New-York tribune., 1882-02-19
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
ASSUMING A wELL-KNowN FIRMS NAME.

ASSUMING A WELL-KNOWN flRMo NhMh'
J.W Wilson & Co. have begun IN action IN inc
Court of Common Pleas against Postmaster Pearson
TO recoyfr So 900 damages for an alleged dete-
fon and conversion of letters There are iwo hrms
in the city doing business under the name OF .. W.
Wilson q Co., one in Broadway and one IN beaver,
st. About two weeks AGO Po }tmaster Pearson Sent
notice to the plaintiffs that tn letters directed 10
them would no longer be de iyered; lie san tniI m
his reason for refusing 10 deliver the letters was
that j. w. Wilson Il Co. wa' hctitlous name NO
charge had been made against them tnat tDey "ere
carrying on any illegal immoral business. MI
Pearson assured hat the firm was not neil ,L
tiOus one and that one OF its men eTS was actuaHy
J. W. Wi son, and an affidavit TO TINS effect was
given to hun. He was not satisfied WIN tue P'Ool
pIesrn ed to him in regard 10 the character OF the
irm and still refused to deliver the letters.
He also refused, II said, to allow the p1lnils 10
open The letters in his presence or TO examine tle
pOstmqrks for the purpose of learning the names OF
the II i admit ed that the Postmaster has
the authority to refust to del! lt III ease, OF
persons e.gaged III cOnduc ing lotteries or any en-
tcTpn5e to OBTAIN money by iraud or ialse pre-
tences. There is also u gene al regulation OIL the
Post Office Department tOrbidd1g PostmasterS
from del yern IletcT addressed to fictitious PERSONS
TRIBUNE reporter asked Postmaster Pearson
ye-tcrlay for information relative to the suii ME-
Pearson said that Asslstant-i Ostmas,er Gdyler was
more tam lar with the ca'e than he wa. and nc
san for MIR. Gaylr T. who made the following state
mcnt: 81. w. Wilson d Co., If No. y Bcavcr-si.,
are an old established and reputable hous', and 90
u large export trade wi Mexico and other conn
tines. Recent V the firm has hid drafs presented
to ii for payment aboui which the members Of the
there was anO' her sO-racd firm J.N.NlsOnNCo.,
and that it did business at No 80 Broa lway. n
vtstg tOn satlsi the members of the Befyer-st.
firm that th IT reputa ion would no. b. improved ny
being Identified with heir Broadway name>akes.
Fearing thai its mail matter might b. mixed up or
That It's credit might be injured, the
Bearer-st. firm presented the facts TO the
Postmaster. On information received from
the firm and on puJlc investigate N by special
agents of the Post Oilice II was cOncluslY ~ SHOWN
tnat the Broadway firm was carrying on scheme
OF fraud and that 1t was using the mails for the pr
pose. he Postmaster, in obedience TO Post Once
REGULATIONS sent word the Office of the }r0al lway
firm that its matter would be placed IN
the General Delivery Department and that
it would be delivered to any prope y identified per
mat er was held for two days, and no satisfactory
evidence of identity WAS 'urnshed, the case Wa' re-
sislant Acknowledgement for the Post Office part
ment instructed the POstmasttr-Genoral that
in, his opinion fostma5ttr Pearson had
taken the only course open to him by
Departmelt and MI: Pearson was informed OF the
fact. Thercupon those letters the envelopes of
which bore 'rcturu request or the card Of the !
seuders returned 20 tine ScndrrS. :. wo letters
were sent to the Dead Letter Ofi.e IN Washington
and viii no doubt rc returned to the endcrs. Tho
Postmaster has received several letters from the
writers of the communications t. the Broadway
firm, thanking him fOrsayng them from the clutches
of SwndlcrS
at is believed" continued Mr. Gaylor, that this
il one Of several swnlCs which have been defeated
by he action of the Post Office Department, IN |
which irresponsible persons assume the name OF
wei known houses and b'ain goods rom iG1er-
chants in other CleS who are lea 10 suppose thIt
they are transa ting business with repu'a- |
bic houses. The records OF the mercantile |
agencies, which are always consul ,ed be-
fore goods shipped, give the firm |
name only. omittng the street anl number, and, |
consequ My, 5hey OF very litue proteatiO III
cases OF this s0rl. Tn"re is perfectly g1ol de- |
fence 10 the SUIT roGgut against the Postmaster. |
out Il is not thought advisable TO diyuige Il at |
present. Tue penalty for the offence wnich IS |
charged agai Isl the Broadway firm is fine OF 5000 !
or eighteen months impri Onmeni or both"