New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-16
HE'S A "GREEN GOODS" KING.
IMPORTANT CAPTURE BY PosTOFF1CE IN
SPECTORS.
GEORGE JACOBS, WITH MANY ALIASES, IN THE
ToILS-HE HAD VICTIMS ALL OVER
THE COUNTRY.

THE COUNTRY.
officers Of the law are sometimes driven TO believe
that green goods are Of such stuff as dreams
are made on" ilusory they and so difficult 10
lay hands on, although many OF them ply their GAZING
in this city ard neighboring towns. Yesterday, how
ever Postonce Inspectors Jacobs and Hartshorn got
their steel clutches the very king of the craft ana
what's more they have such strong evidence against
him that his conviction almost certain. TINS
chicfaln calls himself George Jacobs. and among his
many aliases f. C. Davis, Thomas q. Collins, Ed
ward Bechtold and L. Bonney. lie IS apparently
about thirty years old, and dresses and looks Ike
wellto-do business lie Is the brains and chief
financial hacker Of the notorious Parmlee gang" Of
green goods men, and his operations have recently
been exceedingly extensive.
Formerly swindlers Of that class used the mails
altogether in communicating with their customers"
and usually persuaded their 10 to this city
10 receive their rolls OF brown paper. This plan had
obvious objections, Jacobs hit upon new idea.
1t was to send the goods" by express, collect on de-
| livery. The swindlers patended to have for sale
| money printed with plates stolen from the Govern
ment, but the victim never received anything but
brown paper something equally worthless. Jacobs
would write in explaining why he sent bottle OF sand
instead greenbacks, that detectives had been watch
ing him and he had therefore forwarded decoy parcel
| If the inspectors seized this they would have no
evidence against any one. The swindler would send
| the goods shortly, he wrote but OF course the
| customer" never heard from him again.
| About month ago NJ. ID. Wheeler, now Chief Post
Office Inspector at Washington, ibut then at the head
of tho New-York division Of the service learned that
green goods" men were receiving money through
various express companies. Packages addressed to
Jacobs under his various aliases at No 474 Canalst
which we're sent through the United states Express
| Company, seized and opened. since July 20 the
| following have sent money to jacobs H. u
Wadley Tuckeman. Ark, $50; Jonas II. Boyse' Mount
/ 10 Dazz
| L. W. Levisher Long Run, W. Va, 81; A. j. Robert
| Harrison Ark $50; James Gates Walnut Ridge. Ark
500: T. Good Anna, Ohio S5 j. ii. Bowers stover
strop Va 300: James Ireland. jamestown, omo'
| 800: NJ. Morrow, Houston, Ind, 300; D. b. Roach
Canache, Tex, 80 J. b. waggoner, gett ARK 500
| : W. Glllmen, Russellvie, Ark, $40; w. r. hoSerS'
BatesvlIle Ark, So d. w. Ward Camden, Ark $50
| A. Outright, Buchanan, W. Va. ESQ., j. Brown New
| Boston. Tex s35; Harrison Goodwin, shipley' Ark
| $lOO and John Helm, Reitz. PENN Sloo.
Po,tofce Inspectors Jacobs and Hartshorn were set
TO work on the case and Mr. JACOBS went 10 see 'o'
Helm OF Retz Penn, Of the victims TO get MIN 10
| prosecute the swndler Helm Is poor man. seventy
years old but carried away by the golden PROM
ises OF the green goods" circulars that he scraped To-
gether 500 and sent 1t TO c. Davis, in Canalst In
| dine time he received a zinc box containing bottle
of sand, and by mail game the following litter:
NV Dear Friend: Since writing you have experienced
60 many queer things that become somewhat super
some very mysterious going on lately on the
part of one Of my agents. aud am naturally leu !" sup
nose that the detectives my track AS was sohs
10 tho EXPRESS office this morning to ship some goods 10
another Marty noticed that were watching me
vorv closely Immediately after leaving the office walked
across the and entered saloon, where ooserNeu
by looking through window, that one OF the men was
sl watching me- while the other held hurried CONVEX
sation With the agent. In the meantime l'h oFuer "
avoid a possible arrest made my escape through the
| rear entrance Of the saloon. 49,,
Now nar- the circumstances. thought it best TO ship
, how os ~ decoy, IN order TO eyade subsequent suSp
| con and 1t should come through ana arri'e s"'i9
without being intercepted could then ship you the gehu
| inc article with impunity See the pomtf
Ex crenco has taught that person cannot De TOO
careful in this business and always consider my duty 70
10 so,bno I'm my mower to save both myself and agents
from unnecessary trouble noorlety. The new law just
passed is very stringent. and reads: ANY pcrSo "-
deposits or receives letter from any postoce IN 'ne
United States for purpose OF buying or sehg
felt money designs, by telegraph or express 10 receive
such goods pr any package letter be FOUND addressed
TO any person in any express or postoice containing '
same, they shall be punished by me Oh not % .""
$40 OOO or by imprisonment at hard labor Tor not less ~
Ton vear or by both such puuishents at the discretion
| Of the court .
Now l do not wish to take any foolhardy chances IN
getting tangled up with the above law ana II you Will oy
| be guided by my advice nave no uOuo' e'ei'e wa
| out o. X. , 4,
When you receive this letter write me Immediately 70
the address incloe. and let me know II you oeie'e
things all right at your ena' II So VIII '''" P
the goods as promised with all charges prepaid or reuhu
vour money lust as you WISH Now my boy, II you care
to avoid some very serious trouble. you VIII act cautious
and not have anything whatever to say to your express
agent or any one else reference to our dealings heep
| your mouth closed tight.
| Should any person cndeayor to approach you on 1he
subject simply play ignorant and you know nothing
I'm the should be arrested by Secret Scte
detectives hcre are in nghborhood nave
one Of your rea le friends telegraph me, and VIII come
to YOUR assistance plenty Of money and do everything
| can for you Trusting that no Ill wind is blowing ana
that you Will act on my suggestions beg to remain SIN
| cerely your friend "AOC hN0"'
BE sure and return this letter with your reply
Helm was stll blindly trustful and borrowed an
ether 900 from his neighbOrs and sent II 70 DAVIS
| This was among the sums seized lie was ~ scV
~ 900 Of the goods for each 800 IN cash. ,.,
A week ago Davis called at the Office OF the unlted
states Express COMPANY PTt was 9 Gav ' Tnspor
Jacobs put on jumper and rode on dcnVeTy WEI"
of the cypress company to the address III Canai ST.
| Lr Charles steele ana Davis7 merely lad letter
loX there. Inspector Jacobs dld hot IeaVe tlo
package. on Friday "Davis called 3t tle olncg ~
the express company IN Canalst. for tic money ana
was told that he could get II at the head once III
Broadway Yesterday at ! p. m. .,-o, to.o tbo
| office Of the company, and asked for the package
Nearby stood Inspector Jacobs, clad IN Jumper ASK
| ing about parcel which had gone astray MF
lart,horn was far away. The package was landeI
IN the man. who opened II and took ont five $50 DilS
| lie then took Sl5 from his pocket and handed IL 70
| " T.. Lush, general agent OF the company saNlng 800
| III give Won 20 per cent OF all money tha' 9o"
| receive for me-
Tic two inspectors then stepped mp and arrested
the green goods man. lie denied that his name was
| Davis, although he had Just signed thai name to a
| receipt. He taken before Commissioner Shields
| IND held in $1,000 bail for examination Monday;
| hail Louis b. Allen Of Howe Iiummel. was ms
counsel. lie is charged with using tho mails Tor