Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-07-02
sbarpers Who Fleece the Innocent
and Gull the Guilty.
MNshingtoR Star.

Y.
sharp, of the Postoffice Department,
SIS what we call the bogus medicine
dodge. The ingenious author of this
scheme now languishes in jail, but. at
the same time, he showed himself TO
no a man of no mean order of abili v.
His plan was to send out circulars an
nouncipg a great cure for catarrh,
which was discovered by himself af-
ter many years Of study and inyesti-
cation. He then proceeds to give,
without cost, the prescription for this
wonderful medicine; and enumerates
twelve ingredients which enter into
ts composition. Az the end of the
orcular is note which states that if
the druggist does not happen to have
an these ingredients tho prescription
will be filed and forwarded upon The
receipt of So The person receiving
the circular and desirious of trying
the remedy takes the prescription 10
the drug store, but is told by the
druggist that he has three of the in
eredients, but not the other nine. He
looks through his book, bat fails to
find even their names, and so, of
course. he is unable to furnish the de-
sired medicine. The discoverer of the
remedy is applied to, and, if the So
has been furnished, bottle of some
mixture is sent on, which, of course,
is entirely worthless.
''That is one phase OF the case,
continued the inspector. Now the
man prepares and causes to be pub
hshed in some paper in New York
City an article about the prominent
doctors of New York City, with
portrait of each and sketch giving
some account of the life and services
OF each. All the men mentioned are
bona tide doctors, the leading men in
the profession, with the exception of
a man whose name is, say. DIR. Hart.
He is unknown, but the sketch states
that he left a practice of $25, 600 per
year to devote himself to the practice
of his spec alty-catarrh The bogus
medicine man then procures large
number of copies of this paper, and,
marking the picture of DR.. Hart and
the sketch, sends copies, together with
the circular, broadcast throughout
the country. In consequence he re-
ceives an immense mail and large
numbers Of money orders and regis.
tered letters. After the postmaster
general had directed that no more
money orders and registered letters
should be delivered to DR.. Hart, IS, 900
accumulated in the Brooklyn post
Office that had been sent to him
When an attempt was made to find
DR.. Hart, of course, no such man
could be discovered; but sign over
a door at the advertised number was
found, and that was all. A DR.. Law
renee occupied the same rooms, and
to him the mail was delivered and
when he was told the letters could not
oe given to him. as he was not Dr.
Hart, he went off and got power of
attorney by which DR.. Hart author~
lied hin to receive the mail, About
this time, however, the officers came
in and relieved him of further an
noyance about his mail matter. This
same man was managing some other
scheme Uzder the name of Lawrence,
while his real name was Connolly.
lie must have made great deal of
money, as one OF the witnesses in the
trial testified that he had been offered
81 coo to personate DR.. Hart.
Tvs singular thing, observed the
Colonel, how these offers to give
something for nothing take with the
people, and how rogues fatten upon
the credulity of the public. There is
another species OF fraud, which one
would naturally suppose had been
given such wide publicity that no one
would now be deceived by it. | mean
the counterfeit money dodge, where
men propose to forward a large
amount of counterfeit money by ex.
press or mail ON the receipt of small
amount of genuine money to pay for
the manufacture. Usually all that
the victim receives in return is box
filled with sawdust. Bat a recent
operator has devised new plan. He
locates near a small town IN a coun-
try district and then sends out his let.
lets. He does not offer to forward the
counterfeit money, but invites persons
10 visit him and inspect his stock and
buy what they wish. When the visi-
tor arrives the operator has large
quantity of good bills, which he shows
nm. In order, however, to avoid out
side Interference, the visitor is taken
otln the woods, where the business
proceeds. The operator produces his
money and the visitor examines it and
determines how much ne will take
ana what price is TO be paid. Just as
Ihey are about TO close the transaction
suddenly two men emerge from the
pushes, announce themselves as detec-
yves and proceed to place them under
arrest. The detectives do not fail to
axe all the money from both men
as tney are about to march them off
70 the town, the operator obtains per-
mission to speak privately with the
victim. He asks him how much
more money he has than what he was
gong to use in the transaction, and,
Il ne has more, he advises that they
iSu better better try and buy off the
IeIe9cti!ves for if they don't they will
oolA land in the penitentiary. The
o ,ic1im IS ready to pay anything to get
Wv o. Inc grasp of the supposed repre-,
ssutauveS of the law, and eagerly
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