The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-04

the United States This concern, it is
stated, publishes q monthly called The
Home Fascinator," to be devoted TO useful
knowledge. romance. etc. The etc" Is
and to consist of advertisements of four
prizes to be awarded to persons furnishing
the largest correct list OF English words OF
not more than fonr letters, constructed from
the letters in the words worlds fair" each
competitor TO send with his list the sum or
one dollar the subscription price of the
paper. An enormous circulation has been
acquired throughout the United States
upon the basis of this offer. Prizes were
advertised to be awarded on June %. 1891,
the first prIze consisting of $1,000 In gold,
the second prize n grand piano valued at
500. and the fourth prize q sewing machine
estimated at $50. As TO the third prize.
consisting of a silver tea set, gold-lined.
plan was adopted of awarding il TO thou
sands of persons a. indicated by the re-
ceipt of the following printed notice which
was sent throughout the United States to
the subscribers of the paper.
Dear Madam-With pleasure we inform you
thai you are one OF the successful competitors in
the worlds fair contest: and that you have been
awarded an elegant silver tea set. gold lined.
$3.50. which amount kindly remit US by
registered letter, postoffice order or ex-
press money order and will in
the prize TO you at once. To avoid mistakes you
will obge us by returning this letter with your
full address written plainly in ink on the lines
below. CONCENTRATING you, We remain, faith
fully,
THE HOME FAscINAToR PUBLISHING Co.
Il. S.-We ask you, as special favor. TO show
this beautiful prize to your friends, and at the
same time speak a good word for the Home
Fascinator.
These circulars. asking for remittances
of $780, have been freely distributed
throughout Kentucky. Missouri Iowa and
Pennsy lvanIa. In one small town In Mis-
souri, six persons were notified That each
had been awarded the silver tea-set. and
six money-ordeIs for $500 each were
promptly forwarded To the Home Fascina-
tor Company at Montreal. Canada has no
statute authorizing the stoppage of the
payment of moReT ORDERS or the de-
Lively of registered letters addressed
to a person working a fraud through
the mails. The Postmaster-general of this
country cannot prevent the issuance OF
money orders or the mailing of q regis
tered letter, so it looked as If the scheme
would work with no pOwe- TO prevent the
complete success OF the swindle. The re-
turn of the circular letter destroyed all
written evidence of advice from the Fas-
cDator company to the victim. The depart
ment seemed pOwerless to act and avert
the consnInmatiOn of great wrong
carried on through its own mails
until 1t was suggested that all American
termina al postoffices designated as exchange
postotfiees with Canada should be- treated
as Offices of destination and the postmas-
tiers there instructed by wire TO refuse to
certify money orders OF forward registered
letters payable and directed TO the Home
Fsscinator Company, Montreal. Canada,
but TO return the same to the office of or gin
marked "fraudulent.n 1t is expected that
many thousands of letters containing
money will be restored to the sendela