Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-12-24

him the quarter, and l got this slip OF
paper the next day." (The slip reads:
How to make a fortune: Work hard,
don't smoke, don't drink, don't marry,
be saving) "Now, Mr.. Postmaster
General, don't you think it is shame
to beat poor man out of his mummy
this way, and can't you stop this
swindling through the malespn
A Keokuk Qa.) man complains a.
follows: 81 red in paper how a man
would send me currect picture of my
future wife if sent him the color OF
my eyes and hair, and my hight and
forty cents. Now, TO tell you the truth,
| was just at that time doubtin whether
| liked Amelia or Mary best, SO.
thought | would get the picture and
whichever one it looked Ike most |
would go ahead and marry her l
didn't get an answer for nearly two
weeks and was beginning to think
was swinded when package cum by
mail one day. When / opened it there
was nothen but piece Of pasteboard
with face drawn'on it with lead pen
Gil, Just Ike the boys draw in school.
1t dldn't look like anybody in partickler
Mt all. This is what was wrote under
meath, correct picture of your future
wife-her eyes, nose, mouth, chin and
other teachers, as shown above. 1
wasn't the only one that got left,
though, nearly all the fellows that red
the paper got caut, and you oughtcr
stop this swindlin."
A third contribution to this scrap book
reads this way: IL saw in the paper
that a missionary who had Travelled
through India had discovered remedy
for consumption and will send it free to
any one who suffered from the disease.
My wife was consumptiye, so wrote to
the missionary. In answer received a
candid, sympathetic letter, such as some
philanthropic old gentleman might
write. and with it prescription. In a
postscript it was suggested that if l could
not get the prescription filled in town
might apply to the missionary and he
would get the drugs and put up the
medicine for any trife that should
consider suitable. found on going to
the village drug store that the apoihe-
cary had never heard of some of the
articles ment oned in the prescription,
so wrote 10 the missionary, inclosing
two dollars, which amount | Judged
sufficient for the purpose. A hnx OF pills
came soon afteFward with a letter
filled with religious injunct;ons
to my wife to have faith, take
the medicine regularly and trust
in God for results. After my
wife had taken about half the pills with
out any apparent benefit pur druggist
dropped in one day and asked to see
the wonderful medicine that had TO
send TO Boston for. Breaking one of
the pills open he commenced laughing
heartily, When asked what was the
matter, he said: sTaken in. Nothing
but dough and so they were. The
pretented nj ssonary had sw.ndled me
out of two dollars. | write this so
that you can guard the mails against
swindlcrs OF the same sort"
"l'he swindles recorded in this book
are but small portion of those prac-
ticed daily" said the official in charge.
"Most people who are taken in prefer
to let tho matter pass rather than
take the trouble Of writing here,
especially since they know that writing
will not restore their losses. There are
many, too, who are swindled in such a
way that any exposure would show
themselves up in bad light, as well
as the swindlers. The Treasury plate
trick is one of the commonast, and one
into which guillible people fall da ily,
yet no complaint Ia ever made, The
reason is on the surface, The swindler
in this case chooses his victims and
writes to them that he has come into
possession of Treasury plate from
which he can strike off any number OF
greenbacks, In order 10 get the notes
into circulation and avoid the suspicion
that might arise from constant use OF
the same issue of bills, he offers to ex.
change any amount for bills of other
denominat ons and allow y large dis
count A specimen note Is always in
closed, which is, of course, good
grecnback. The victim ascertains from
his banker if the inclosure is genuine,
and finding it to be 50 generally falls
into the trap, Whatever he sends is, of
course, unheard of again, and he keeps
very quiet about the matter you may be
sure. "-NqtionaI Tribune,