Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-11-12
AN ORIGINAL SWINDLE.

a One Armed SOutherner Takes in Lead
ing Paper Dealers and Printing Houses
in New York for a Large Amount
How he Worked an Original Game.
New YORK, Nov. 5.-The police have
arrested Alexander @. Branscom, who
had originated and carried out an
| original scheme of swindling, which
came near being successful and reaping
fortune for it's originator. Branscom
is one armed, but yields pen with his
left hand with wonderful skill. He has
served three years and half in prison
for forging Florida water bonds
His scheme was to publish two
elaborate works of interest to
visitors and exhibitors in the New
Orleans Worlds Fair-a guide book and
costly illustrated book called ere
sources and Attractions of the South"
and sell the advertising space, worth
$4,000, and dispose of the books and
copyright in cash for : round sum,
meanwhile depending on forgery for
the necessary means to keep
the scheme going till it's COM
pletion. He forged a letter of
introduction purporting to be written
by Edward Richardson and William
Oliver, president and secretary of the
Mississippi wooden mills, in Wesson,
Miss, representing him as the agent and
the authorized publisher of the pro-
posed works. Sichardson is president
of the New Orleans worlds exhibition
and prominent Southern man. With
the letters he found no difficulty in
making contracts for work and material,
supplying the copy himself, and pre-
senting in payment forged notes. paya-
BILE in four months, and bearing Richard
sons and divers signatures The
American Bank Note Company is a vic
tim to the amount of $4,000, and the
Peter Adams Paper Company $4,000.
The latter company paid Branscom S.
500 in cash, the difference between the
amount of their bill and his note. Con-
row & Brothers, paper dealers, accepted
the forged note for $4,000, and re-
turned to Branscom $4,000 in
cash. Cossack & Co., printers. of
Buffalo, were caught to the
amount of $4,000. J. J. Little & Co.,
printers, of this city, took a note for
$4,000; and Hastings & Todd, dealers
in card board, of this city, took note
for like amount. The last-named
firm afterward cashed his personal note
for $1,000. The Century Printing
Company took note for $500
for electrotypes. The cash Brans-
com received he deposited in
the National Shoe and Leather Bank,
and drew upon it for expenses. He
thus collected $4,000. In month his
book would have been out, he would
have collected $111, 900 in one day and
skipped, leaving unpaid debts amount
ing to over $4,000. Conrow & Brothers
grew suspicious, and communicated
with Inspector Byrnes. A telegram to
the WOODEN mills ia Wesson, Miss, ex-
posed the forgeries, and their financial
agent, Mr.. Richardson, in New York ,swore
out warrant, and Branscom was ar
rested Monday night in the Stewart
building, where he had hired an Office
He admitted his crime, and was held on
the charge of forgery. Ten thousand
copies of "The Resources and Attrac-
tons of the South" are printed. The
loss will be 80 great, and the books said
to have SO much genuine merit, that it
is proposed to have them completed and
published on the original plan by
syndicate of creditors, who will take up
and pay the notes.