The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1891-05-28
FOOLED BY A SHARPER.
HOW "SHEENY AL" SWINDLED
THE BALTIMOREANS

Aney Eagerly invested In a Gotd-1Gcrcas-
ing Company that Promised Fabulous
Returns-YeIlow Metal Worth $4,000
Disappears from Crucible One Night
and With 1t .sSheeny A1!"
Edward Pinter. alias "Sheeny AL"
who was arrested in London for at
tempting to swindle ieweler in that
city by means of the philosophers
stone, through which he claimed to in
crease the bulk of gold, is supposed to
be the fellow who played the same game
in Baltimore, swindling five well-to-do
merchants out of nearly 500, 900, writes
correspondent from the Monumental
City. About three years ago a man
came to Baltimore and engaged suite
of rooms in a clearinghouse on North
Charles street He called at.the Office of
a successful real-eState agent and intro
duced himself as Mr. Gephart He said
that the agent had been recommended to
him as discreet and enterprising man.
and he desired to secure his aid in de-
veloping matter that would surely
bring fortune to both of them. He then
unfOlded his scheme of increasing the
bulk of gold, and assured the agent that
he did not wish him to invest dollar in
the enterprise until all doubt had been
removed from his mind of the ability of
Gephart to do all he claimed. He in
vited the agent to cSll as his rooms On
Charles street, when he would aubstan-
tiate his claim by practical tests.
The agent accompanied him, and gave
Gephart a gold dollar with which TO
first experiment.. This dollar was placed
in a small crucible, and white powder.
was added by Gephart. The two men
took turns at blow-pipe in increasing
hn in hn hn
was melted and mixed with the chem
ical 1t was then allowed to cool, after
which Gephart took it out, gave it to the
agent, and told him to send it to the
United States mint to be assayed and
recoined. The mint officials returned a
report showing three times the amount
of gold that was put into the crucible.
The same tests with larger amounts
were continued, and always with the
same result The real-eState agent be-
came convinced of the value of Gep-
hart'S secret, and introduced Gephart to
several wealthy citizens, with the view
of enlisting them in the enterprise. The
same tests were made before them, and
they, too, became convinced of Gephart'S
ability to increase the bulk of gold
A stock company was~formed and the
basement of the house of one of the
men interested was selected as the place
corporations. This was fitted up with
a furnace and iron watts about the size
of an ordinary bath-tub. One member
Of the Embarrassing company fur
nished about $4,000 in gold, and the
other four about $4,000 each. They
were to share proportionately in the
profits. In the presence of the whole
party Gephart apparently put all this
gold into one of the watts and placed it
on the fire. He then put in a quantity
of the powder. and other chemicals. In
doing this, however, he declined to per-
NIT any of the party to approach the
watts, saying that the fumes Of the chem
icals would Overpower any one not pre-
pared to resist them.
A top was put On the vat and at the
suggestion of Gephart extra strong locks
were procured and the vat. was securely
fastened with them. The same. precau
tions were taken with the door of the
basement The keys were given to the
gentleman in whose house the expert
ment was being tried. Gephart said that
the vat must not be opened for three
weeks. After remaining about the city
for several days Gephart said he was
called to distant city on business, but
would return on the day appointed for
taking out the gold. He did not come as
promised.
The real-estate agent became suspi-
cious and persuaded the party to make an
investigation. They went to the cellar
and upon opening the vat found the gold
had all disappeared, while in it's place
was lot of rocks and scrap-iron The
men were dumf0unded The cellar had
haan nntnrnd and the gold stolen