Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-03
FISHING FOR FLATS.
Pittsburg Flooded with Offers of
Cheap Counterfeit Money.
A PHILANTHROPIST IN NEW YORK
Throws Out Glitteriug Bait, but Fails to
Land Victim.
TREASURY OFFICERS ON THE WATCH

to all classes Of people great many Of
whom have no occupations. The postofice
officials have for weeks been suspicious OF
these letters. They have been endeavoring to
get hold of one Of them, and finally q
United States detective yesterday succeeded
in finding one that had been addressed to
John Morris, merchant, Pittsburg.
The letter was typewriter and contained
elaborate instructions on the subject Of get
ting rich without effort and by the invest
ment of small sum of money printed from
plates alleged to have been stolen from the
Government. With the letter was long
clipping supposed to be from New York
paper, in which it is related that series of
plates were stolen from the Bureau of En-
craving at Washington, and that the plates
and the thief are now supposed to be in
Europe. After describing the money
minutely and assuring the person addressed
in the letter that it is genuine and cannot
be detected by the most expert, the letter
continues:
In Purely Philanthropic Spirit.
This is serious and highly important food
for thought! Your sober and earnest atten-
tion should be given to every word in this
letter. A person without the universal
rudder'-the Almighty Dollar-is thought
but little Of, and is looked upon as of no I'M
portance to this world. Isn't this true? I
know whereof speak; in former years
have drank from the "bitter cup" myself.
If you have not the money to buy my
goods, I would consent to your taking some
confidential friend in with you who has,
provided of course, he Is trustworthy and
could keep the secret. You could both then
come on together and make the deal. How
ever, you would be very foolish to take any
money yourself
II my business should suit you, 1t will be
absolutely necessary for you to come on
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
everything is "on the level" and we both
feel better satisfied.
A Glittering Eait for Suckers.
know 1t is quite journey for you to
make, but We Gods, just think Of the ''gofd
mine" in store for you-in the way of profits.
Furthermore, always make a liberal al
lowance in goods to cover the expenses.
Make up your mind to come on-I know you
will always be thankful for your visit to me.
You will find me q square and honorable
white man in every particular. When you
arrive here will show you my entire stock,
from which you can make your own selec-
tions. Then, If my goods are not all that
1 claim for them, and are not as fine as the
enclosure speaks of, will make you a pres.
ent of one thousand dollars in gold, and
also cheerfully pay all expenditures in
peurred upon your journey. Fair enough.
My prices are as follows: $500 gets three
thousand, s400 gets i've thousand, $3.50 gets
ten thousand, $1,000 gets thirty thousand.
The more you invest the cheaper you get
the goods. The sizes run from zone" to
twenty" Three hundred dollars worth Of
my goods is positively the very smallest
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 instructions, and
do only as tell you.
Where tho Jobber Gets Jobbed,
With the letter is note of instructions
which says: "Send all kilograms (no let
ters) to James Mason, 100 West street, New
York. Your pass word and number Gin
stead of your name) is Manner BIZ Do
not sign anything else"
''The fake is good one," a postoffice in
ment does not love to interfere in such cases.
stolen from the Government and the Gov
eminent knows it. The mails are not used
for the purpose Of defrauding any but the
one man who, when he starts into the deal
not only becomes party to crime, but Is
invariably and without exception the only
victim. It Is the would-be jobber that gets
jobbed and there is never but one
men hurt at a time and he is always willing
to be hurt In the hope of getting rich easy.
This scheme has been thoroughly investi-
gated by the Government authorities and it
has been found that it is matter
entirely between the criminals themselves.
One sharper plucks some one who wants to
be . sharper. The game is as old as the
felt money used as the letter says they deal
face to face.
Fooling the over-smart Victims
"When the merchant or would-be sharper
goes to New York he is met by the real
slick fellow and is shown good liberal pile
of genuine money. To test the money the
real sharper and the would-be sharper
60 together to q bank where they
get several of the bills changed. The
would be sharper is in that way convinced
that the money, is good. They come back
to the Office and complete the deal The
package which is counted before the mans
eyes is then TIED up while he is watching.
But he is fim-fammed aud he don't know
it. He thinks he sees the money being tied |
up but he don't. He really stands there |
and watches them tying up package of |
green paper which is a sleight of hand trick.
After getting the package he is advised to
get out of the city at once and the real |
sharper goes with him to his train. When |
he discovers the trick it is too late. Even |
# he goes back the sharper will have re.
moved He never brings two victims to |
he same place. There is no counterfeiting |
in it and the fellow that gets caught is |
usually as anxious to keep the affair quiet |
Is the sharper
''My information Is that the game is not |
he Ihifed Gfafor ofGoa.