The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-03-05
TRICKS OF THE IMPRowpENr.
How the Telegraph Wires Are Used to
Bleed Confiding Relatives and Friends.
fI.-Aa..d m,xnaaI


Bleed Confiding Relatives and Friends.
Hartford Tlmesl
"Any messages here for mel" brusquely
inquired q man of the young gentleman at
the delivery window in the telegraph Of
fee Of -.
"No, sir" said the young man, without
asking the name of his inquisitor.
ayes, there is. know there is a dis
patch here. You will oblige me by look
ing for IT," The last sentence was uttered
in way which left the clerk no alterna-
tive but to look. He went through stack
of about forty dispatches from the "M"
box and again returned the answer that
none was there.
"Strange. should receive dispatch
of great Importance to-day" still doubling
the truth Of the young mans answer. See
ing that the latter paid no more attention
to him, the gentleman slowly passed out
lin strong contrast to the brisk manner
in which he had entered.
"For six months that man has come in
here three or four times week, asking the
same questions and acting in the same man
nor, and never once has he been given q
dispatch"
SIS he a crankp inquired areporter, who
was the person addressed, and who had
been witness Of the scene.
~ should certainly call him crazy, IL
was not sure that he never expected a dis
patch. Some time Pll surprise him by
handing him message with two dollars
in charges on it. He is one of those fellows
whe would have the world believe that his
head is just bursting with business. He
always comes In when the office is full,
and, as you perhaps noticed, asks his ques.
tions In tone Of voice loud enough to at
tract the attention Of every one in the
room. don't know why he does 1t, but
he does, and that fact is enough for us,
who are nearly bored to death by him and
his ilk-for there are others like him.
"But he isn't marker to some who call
here" continued the clerk, a breathing
spell being afforded him by the absence of
inquirers. "They cause us TO wish we had
been born before this enlightened age of
telegraph and electric appliances. l tell
you this is good place for the study of
human nature and character. There are
more unreasonable and downright mean
men in this world than you imagine, and
great many of them live right here in this
town. There are more tricks In this trade
than one would suppose, and we detect
schemes innumerable.
"a favorite method OF obtaining money
by the young man who is afraid TO Work,
Is to telegraph something like this:
"'DEAR MOTHER: Fell into coal hole and
broke my leg to-day. VIII be laid up long
time. Please send me 500 to defray ex-
penses:
"'Collect. Your loving son, -
"This dodge works better than you
think. It nearly always brings the money.
OF course, failures sometimes occur, and
in some instances the young men place
themselves in awkward positions, as in
the case Of young man who recently tel
egraphed his parents that while working
about machinery one of his arms had been
broken in two places. His mother was so
work d up over the mishap to her son that
she came all the way from Boston with
the money, instead Of sending 1t, as de-
sired. She found her son bale and hearty,
living upon expectations Of what he was
shortly TO receive from home. A more
disguised woman never lived, and, as the
young man afterward explained 10 me,
she went away with all the money she
brought, and with very bad opinion Of
the son, in whom she had placed great con {.
fdence.
"Then, there is the young man who Is
continually going into business. One
spruce young fellow here is the idol Of a
fond, old and rich uncle, who lives in one
Of Philadelphia's suburbs. According TO
the dispatches TO his uncle, he Is engaged
in business In dozen different places in
Colorado. His losses are made good by
frequent drafts upon the old man as he
calls him. HIS drafts are always accepted
and paid, and the proceeds go over the
gaming table. The young man thinks IL
great fun to work the old man, but some
day his methods will be exposed, and then
we shall lose one OF our regular customers.
"The majority Of telegraphic money
orders received at this office are addressed
TO women Of ill-repute. They receive large
sums Of money by sending dispatches
something like this:
"'Have been very sick and have no money.
Please save me from going 10 hospital
"Anot er favorite dispatch is:
"'Am in trouble. Unless you send mo two
hundred dollars will be sent 10 jail You are
the only friend have on earth. Help me
out OF this for Gods sake.
"The money Invariably comes along in
day or two. The way in which these
women impose on their victims is a won
der. Their dispatches are sent to prom
lnent men in all parts Of the country. It
may, perhaps, be mild system Of black.
mail, but 1t is effectually carried out and
evidently pays"