The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-06-04

| Ell CQaC Z OrG I'LL WAS UuIutu' 4udG 10
mistake: the house still stands unchanged
from what it was in the days of the Sena-
tor.
Sharpers and Their Victims.
"The slickest piece of work in the way
of fraud conducted through the malls
that has come to my attention recently"
remarked Chief Inspector Clark, OF the
Postofice Department, to Star reporter,
''is 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 be a
man Of no mean order of ability. His
plan was to send out circulars announc-
ing great cure for catarrh, which was
discovered by himself after many years
of study and investigation. He then
proceeds to give, without cost, the pre-.
scription for this wonderful medicine and
enumerates twelve ingredients, which
enter into its composition. At the end
of the circular is note which states that
if the druggist does not happen to have
all these ingredients that the prescription
will be filled and forwarded upon the re.
ceipt of s3. The person receiving the
circular and desirous of trying the rem.
edy takes the prescription to the drug.
store, but is told by the druggist that he
has three of the ingredients, but not the
other nine. He looks through his book,
but fails to find even their names, and so,
of course, he is unable to furnish the
desired medicine. The discoverer of the
remedy is applied to and if the 50 has
been furnished bottle of some mixture
is sent on, which, of course, is entirely
worthless"
"That is one phase of the case," con-
tinued the inspector. "Now the man
prepares and causes to be published in
some paper in New York City an article
about the prominent doctors of New
York City, with portrait of each and a
sketch giving some account of the life
and services of each. All the men men
toned are bona fde doctors, the leading
men in the profession, with the excep.
tion of man whose name is, say, DR..
Hart IIe is unknown, but the sketch
states that he left practice of S25 900
per year to devote himself to the prac-
tice Of his specialty-catarrh. The bo-
gus medicine man then procures large
number of copies of this paper, and
marking the pictures of DIR. Hart and
the sketch sends copies, together with
their circular, broadcast throughout the
country. In consequence he receives an
immense mail, and large numbers OF
money orders and registered letters. AT.
ter the Postmaster General had directed
that no more money orders and registered
letters should be delivered to DR.. Hart,
$4,000 accumulated in the Brooklyn post
Office that had been sent to him. When
On attempt was made to find DR.: Hart,
of course no such a man could be dis.
covered; but sign over door at the
advertised number was found, and that
was all A DR.. Lawrence occupied the
same rooms, and to him the mail was
delivered, and when he was told the let
tiers could not be given to him, as he was
not DR.. Hart, he went off and got a
power of attorney by which DIR. Hart
huGuOllLcQ ullu w ioCCisO WV ..A's>A'
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 under the name of Lawrence,
while his real name was Connolly. He
must have made great deal of money,
as one of the witnesses in the trial tes-
titled that he had been offered $4,000 to
personate DIR. Hart"
ut is a singular thing" observed the
Colonel as he looked reAectively out OF
bis Office window, show 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 natu-
rally suppose had been given such wide
publicity that no one would now be de-
ceived by it. l mean the counterfeit
money dodge, where men propose to for
ward large amount of counterfeit mon :
ey by express or mail on the receipt of a
small amount of genuine money TO pay
for the manufacture. Usually all that
the victim receives in return is box
filled with sawdust. But recent oper-
ator has devised a new plan. He locates
in small town in country district and
then sends out his letters. He does not
offer to forward the counterfeit money,
but invites persons to visit him and ill.,
spect his stock and buy what they wish.
When the visitor arrives the operator
has large quantity Of good bills, which
he shows him and allows him to examine.
In order, however, to avoid outside inter-
ference, the visitor is taken off in the
woods where the business proceeds.
The operator produces his money and
the visitor examines it and determines
how much he will take and what price is
to be paid. Just as thoy are about to
close the transaction suddenly two men
emerge from the bushes, announce them
selves as detectives, and proceed to place
them under arrest. The detectives do
not fail to take all the money from both
men. AS they are about to march them
off to the town, the operator obtains per-
mission to speak privately with the VIC
tim. He asks him how much more
money he has than what he was going to
use in the transaction, and, if he has
more he advises that they had better try
and buy off the detectives, for if they
don't, they will both land in the peni-
tentiary. The victim is ready to pay
anything to get out Of the grasp of the
supposed representatives of the law, and
eagerly agrees to contribute a fund to
pay the detectives. The latter, of course,
accept the bribe, and, pocketing all the
money, disappear. The victim gets
away as fast as possible, and goes home
and never says word about his loss.
He is too much ashamed. For this class
of victims, however, there can be no
sympathy, for they are at least construct