The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-06
Circulars Offering Big Fortunes for
Small Money Are Pouring
Into Helena.
Everything Ia Strictly Confden-
tial," and Only kilograms
viii Be Received.
A Clipping From an Alleged Newspaper
About an Alleged Failure to
Convict u Counterfeiter.

NA
their circulars, a copy OF Instructions, and
an alleged clipping from an alleged news
paper intended to show how easy it ia &c
make money AZ good as Uncle Sans. The
gentleman named is only n of many
The circular 10 \ photograph copy and IL
evidently meant to mislead the recipient
into believing the author has gone to the
expense and trouble Of having a type-writ-
ten letter prepared for his benefit, 1t is
headed "gtrictly confidential" and reads as
follows:
NV Dear Sir: I am DESTROYS Of obtaining
a good, shrewd agent in your locality to
handle my medicine. The enclosure here
with gives all the information that could
be desired, and explains itself.
I secured your name from a mercantile
book so that no one but yourself and the
person writing the letter knows anything
about the nature of the enclosed.
Ar opportunity to make an independent
fortune like this has never crossed your
path before, and, in all probabilities. never
will again, az long rs you live. There is no
reason why you should be = slave and toll
all of your life for nothing. II you are
foolish enough to let a golden chance
like this pass you by-all we'll and good.
If You are miserable, and in want Of tinan-
cial assistance-now or never is your time.
In years to come, when you find yourself
sadly in want Of s'coin'' in order to keep
body and soul together, you will have no
one to blame for your wretched existence
but yourself! This is serious and highly
important food for thought! Your sober
and earnest attention should be give to
every word in this letter. A person with
out the universal rudder"--the almighty
dollar-is thought but little of, n is
looked upon as Of no Importance to the
world. isn't his trne2 l know whereof I
speak; in former years | have drank from
the ''bittsr cup" myself. IA word to the
wise 10 sufficient"
absolutely necessary for you to come here
and SEQ me in person. l only deal face to
face with my customers. Experience has
taught me that this is the safest and most
satisfactory way for both. By your coming
on here you see what You are buying, and l
see who I am dealing with. Consequently
We both feel better satisfied.
I know it is quite a journey for you to
make. but think of the tremendous profits
80 be made with no risk, comparatively
speaking, whatever. Now as far as expense
is concerned, I always make a liberal allow
ance to cover the same. Make up u
mind to come on-I know o will always
be thankful for your visit to me. You will
find me = square and honorable white man
in every particular. When you arrive here
I will show you my entire stock, from which
you can make your own selections. Then
If my goods are not all that I claim for
them, and are not AZ fine as the enclosure
speaks OF, ] will make o a present Of
$1,000 in gold, and also pay your travelling
expenses both ways. What tairar could
hundred dollars gets $4,000, $3.50 gets
$1,000, $3.50 gets $4,000. $1,000 gets
$4,000. The more you invest the cheaper
you get the goods. The sizes run from
Zone" to twenty" Four hundred dollars
worth of goods is positively the very small
est mount | will sell under any circum-
stances. II you will invest $3.50 or more I
will agree to give you the exclusive state
right. Now, should you wish to do business
with me, you must obey the following in
struotions, and do only as I tell you.
First:--Don't. as long as you live, ever
write a letter to me until I give you permits
sion. If you do it will be refused. l mean
exactly what l say; and furthermore all
S~econd:-If you wish to come on here and
see me, send the following telegram, (Re-
member, telegram only will be reoeivsd)
and simply say, "Cancol all orders.' Then
sign your full name and address to the tels-
gram. Do not forget this as I keep no
record of persons to whom I write, SO re-
member. only sign your full name and ad-
dress.
Third:-On receipt of your telegram 1
will send you full instructions how to meet
me and whore to stop, then no mistakes
will be made in finding one another. In
conclusion ] wish to say if you cannot
come on here, or have not $500 to invest,
simply let the matter drop. Now kindly
allow me to caution you again. not to write
! will receive any. word. You must be
guided by my advice. If you do, you are
bound to succeed. No such thing as fail,
Act squares; be true and honorable! Do me
no harm and you will never regret it. You
can make money faster and easier by deal
ing in my goods than you ever dreamed of
before in your life. Won't you try it?
Yours slncerely--ln honor and confidence,
You KNOW"
The next thing in order is the accompany
ing little circular of directions-a sort Of
postscript-also meant to convs the idea
that it is type written. 1t says:
Ii you wish to come and see me send the fol
lowing telegram, | shall understand it and will
send full Instructions how ] can be found; but
distinctly remember, under no consideration ever
send me aletter for VOLT receive it,
COPY OF TELEGRAM YOU ARE TO SEND.
OcOI6o MAY, baIlluklDu, hlaDdHd. Lancet all
BE sure to sign your name and postofice adj
dress to telegram.
l shall send you full instructions on receipt of
above telegram where you can meet me at my
headquarters. / only receive my kilograms at this
address but transact business elsewhere.
But perhaps the most ingenious part of
ths scheme is the alleged newspaper clip
enclosed. 1t ia headed "The counterfeiter
free. A queer and easy way Of getting rich,
bad for the p~ovarnment. Graanhactxa inst
ns good as genuine" The story under
these catchy headlines pretends to tell Of
the failure Of the United States court (of
some place not mentioned) to convict a
counterfeiter named Charles Wilson. 1t
tells of how an honest merchant who was
approached and asked to buy some of the
''stuf' turned the matter over to a detect
time of paying for the queer" Then, when
he went down in his pocket. instead of pro-
ducinR the money he brought up a revolver
and arrested the mythical MI. Wilson.
Further the clipping goes on to show that
the prosecution failed because the experts
said the counterfeits were as good az any
bills issued by the government. The story is
very c~leverly put together and would be
apt to deceive almost anyone who did not
know that itawas not from a newspaper at
all, but only the production of one of the
new processes by which 1t is possible to
make a clever imitation. To lend color
TO the idea that it is a newspaper Clipping,
however, the piece has not been cut out at
the column rules, but a little of the matter
from the columns on either side are left on,
and on the back is part of a big display ad-
vertisement, cleverly arranged SO that
neither the name Of the firm nor the place
OF business can be found
The gentleman who received the fatter-
ing otfer OF riches, chose, rather thar ac-