Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-04-29
SLICK SWINDLINC.
A Man Representing Himself as Edward
Kinnane Dupes Several Philadel-
phia Firms.
He Buys Dry Goods and Jewelry tn the
Amount of several Thousands of Dot
Iar> and Has the Bill sent to
~ kinnane, " rem \ Go.

| Last Friday a tall. tne-lOOklng. purtly
| man. of perhaps fOrtN-tive years, with a
sandy mou>tache. brown hair. slightly bald.
of a successful merchant, registered at the
| Bingham House Philadelphia He spread the
name of Ed. kinnane, Springfield. O.. ON the
! hotel register. He left Philadelphia on the
ll:2O train on Saturday night for Pitt>hurg
with three large trunks full ot clouk>, suit
ingS, cloths. silks and jewelry.
OF course he was not Edward knnane
but he palmed himself of on unSuspecting
merchants As Mr. kinnane, and proved him,
self to be one of the most accomplished
swindlerS of the day.
| On. the same day that he registered at tn,
| Bingham House he called at the cloth house ui
Jacob Bunting. northwest corner of Second
and Market streets, Philadelphia. and
bought $500 worth of cloth for Knnane,
Wren II Co. He told plausible story OF
his connection with the house; that he wa,
a son of the senior member of the firm and
one of the firm himself, and asked Mr..
Bunting to send the cloth in a trunk to RE
| gel, Scott h Co. No. 353 Market street, who
were also going Ia ship him some goods.
Mr.. Bunting. after aScertaining that the
house Of kinnane, Wren y Co. was A No,
1, and that Riegel, Scott Il Co. We're going
to send them some goods. Immediately sent
the trunk, which was nearly full. 10 hi
neighbor up the street. Mr. Bunting said
1T was a good. clean job. | am not a,
much out As some of the other merchants
along the street. never would have sent
the goods to a hotel for him, if he hat
asked me to do So am too old bird fol
that lie requested me 10 send the trunk
up to Riegel. Scott n Co.. aS he had bought
some goods there, which Were To be- put int
it. | did 81. lie was clever confidence
man"
Previous 10 his visit to Mr.. Bunting'S es-
tablShment. the swinder had been in the
large wholesale dry-goods house of Riegel
Scott n Co. There. too. he bore him
self a. man who knew hi
business. He represented himself As Ed
ward knnane, gave as references other
| firms from whom he had purchased goods,
and then proceeded To make his purchases,
the firm having no doubt that he was
all right.
! Mr.. Hilborne. one of the statesmen, said
Ia reporter:
lie had evidently bought goods before.
lie was very careful in selecting what he
wanted. He had a small Odd Fellows pin
in his scarf. and was talking Odd Fellow.
He was well posted; he gave history of
some of the lodges here. lie asked after a
former member of the firm who had been
dead thirteen years. spoke of several well
known drummerS and others. and of his
own firm in Springfield, which is an old
firm. He ordered about $1,000 worth of
goods of all kinds, including about $4,000
worth of silks. These he wanted to be-
sent to the Bingham House in a trunk which
would be sent Ia US from another firm on
Market street where he had been buying
goods. There was nothing exceptional in
this request as buyers frequently take
goods with them in trunks tO avoid freight
charge, every passenger being allowed 100
pounds of baggage. When the trunk ar
rived from Mr.. Bunting'S store the silks
were put in and sent to the hotel for Mr..
kinnane on Sunday afternoon. The other
goods were shipped by express 10 kinmane,
Wren n Co. Springfield. Ohio. and bill
sent the same evening. OF course, We will
not lose the goods shipped by express, As
they will be sent TO us"
4 GLOBE REPUBLIC representative called
at kinnane, Wren X Co. : store thi, morn
name, learned that bills for goods, and let
tiers and kilograms concerning the Swindler,
have been pouring in on the firm.
\ bill from Riegel. Scott " Co., of
goods, which were shipped by freight, are
now on the road. They will be returned to
the Ph iladephia firm As soon as they ar
rive.
\ bill of S2l5 for wraps, assorted wraps.
and trunk bought Of ). Simon n Co., 693
Market street, Philadelphia, has also been
received. These goods Were also purchased
by the Swindler. The following letter from
the firm explains itself:
PHILADELPHIA, April 26. 1SS6.
MessrS. kinnane, Wren 4 Co.
GENTLEMEN:-Ed. Knnane. of yortr firm.
was here Saturday last and purchased
few goods in our line for his personal use.
ordering them Ia be sent in care
of Riegel. Scott X Co, who were
dry goods To- YOU; but when our
man went Ia deliver package their goods
had been shipped. We write to ask wheth
er We shall ship them by express direct or
send to some one else to be packed. Await
ing your reply. We remain yours truly.
SIMMONS BIO. y Co.
The joke on those Philadelphia firms.
said John Kinnane to the GLOBE-REPUBIIC
lis that my brother Ed.
was in New York on SATURDAY.
As we have letter from him dated at
New York on that day" lie thereupUn
showed the letter, which was not only da
ted but po>tmarked at New York. The
Swndler also got in his work on ). Kind n
Co., jobber> in jewelry, Of Philadelphia.
Uf that firm he bought gold watch and
chain for S5O.75, and collar buttons, bands,
vest chains, scarf pins, rings, necklaces
breast pins, single bands. ear rings and
'leeue. buttons, amounting 10 $3.50. These
articles were purchased in the name
Of Kinnane, Wren n Co., and the bill ag-
Sregating S229.25 was sent To the firm.
The jewelry was, of course. taken away by |
the Swindler.
Kind X Co. trlegraphed the facts con
,erning the purchase of the goods To Kin |
name, Wren n Co. who Immediately re- |
piled that no representative of their firm |
had made the purchases. The following |
letter has been received from Kind " Co.:
PHILADELPHIA. April 26. 1856.
MeSsrS. kinnane Wren X Co. Springfield. ..
GENTLEMEN-ln reply TO your telegram
We would state that We have been the losers |
If the amount of bills sent You by mail, and
f you can assist uS in any way to discover
he Swindler you would greatly oblige lis.
The man who bought the goods WAS about