New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-10
AGENTS FOR MYTHICAL CONCERNS.


MAILS BURDENED WITH COMPLAINTS OF
swINDLED COUNTRY PEOPLE.
A merchant connected with large drygoods firm
Of this city brought to The Tribune yesterday inc
following letter which he had received from friend
In Lewsburg, Penn:
Enclosed send yoH rsS Se an fO AGENT
magazine which has never come TO hand ana proDa.
bly, never viii This Is one OF seyeT 'H u rfpas
| think the parties should be exposed knowing
your abhoene Of anything that Is mean hmn eef es
was ever perpetmted upon conhoing ana haru-
working class. now write to ask II you WIN 90 Us
the favor TO call at No 730 Broadway, and investigate
the matter and If you find IT is fake ! think the
world at large should BE- appSed 1i ne See an
am quite The Tribune would be glad 70 expose
the same.
The receipt which was n printed blank filled out In
thc usual FORM was dated Lewsburg, Penn, February
g. 1892 and stated that the "New-iork and London
subscription Agency, Office No. 80 Broadway y. W
1ad received $3 from for L. Journal Des
Modes and LacoutuIese, with Books No. and 9"
The receipt was signed by 81 b. Allison, Agent
This form Of swindlng IS that Is frequently
called to the attention Of the postal authorities than
any other, not excepting the complaints from the
mnltitudnous victims Of the industrious green
goods men The address aven No. 730 Broadway,
IS the cold London Street opposite the New-fork
Hotel. That familiar and antique bit of Broadway
architecture has been closed and empty for three
years. OF nothing was known there OF any
such concern the New York and London Sub
sCrptOn Agency
Pennsylvania and the Southern and Western
states swarm with these swinders,7 saii an
oiiicia Of the postofice yesterday to a Tribune
reporter They represent themselves to be agents
FOR New York concerns, drygoOds houses. publishing
houses. etc Needless to say these concerns are
mythical. The swtndlers are amply provided with
printed blanks aid them in dcceiving people They
Will take a subscription for n publication, as was
done in the case of the Lewisburg drcssmaker or
will sell a bill of goods amounting to hundreds Of
dollars to a country merchant. They they will ask
to have check cashed or Pr $40 advance on the
order, and usually get what they are after. After
staying a week in town and working ii, the
swindler moves on 10 another field Their dupcs
after waiting a reasonable time and not getting what
they had paid for, write 10 the New York concern.
These letters sent by 10 the Dead Letter Once,
In Washington, Endorsed Not found Before the
victims hear from Washington they generally write
to this ONCE wnntlng know why their letters are
not delivered. These poor people burden the malls
In vainp
as II not possible to catch the rascals ~
1T Is next to impossible for they change their
stationery, their New-lork addresses and con-
tinually the move themselves. one fellow was
arrested recently in Wiliamsport. PENN for selling
paints. etc, and taking money rs the aSent Of the
American White Lead Company, fictitious concern
lie gave the New York address box In this post
ONCE. / went 10 Williamsport and testified aganso
nim lie was sentenced To eleven mouths III the
rsniteniary and 10 pay the costs OF court. When
Lycouing County Is through with him there will be
nfteen counties In Pennsy vana ready TO seze-
MIN for similar offences. one of the mythical con-
Germs worked by one of the swinders was Hilton,
bay q Co.. drygoods, who were supposed to be az
Broadway and Canalst. Hosts OF people were
,hgy oil firm NVnic rs,
made 90 believe ex-Judge Hilton was u member or
James d. Johnston & Go. another myth. But
the cruelcs work of the sclmps Is when they obtain
photographs Oftentues the only likeness Of some de-
ceased member family, the preence of sending
II 10 New lork City Ia be enlarged into crayon.
they take a small Is part payment, 90 away with
the picture and not heard Of afterward.7