The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-05-08
GREEN GOODS MEN FLIT..
They We're Forced to Leave
the Heights Where They
Felt Secure.
NOW ENscoNCED IN UNION HILL.
Anthony Comsiock Worries Them
Copies OF Their Circulars
Secured.
NOW ENscONCED IN UNION HILL.

quiet and uneventful part of the city
known as Jersey City Heights, in the
direct vicinity OF the Sixth Precinct Po-
lice Station, learn through THE JERSEY
CITY NEWS that the base OF operations of
two score and ten green goods men have
been In that locality, perhaps they will be
surprised. 1t was rafnored Saturday after.
noon that Anthony Comstock had cap
tured five green goods men In the vicinity
Of Hutton street. A NEWS reporter,
anxious to Investigate the matter, went
Immediately to Mr.. Comstock's Office in
New YORK, but was unable to see that
gentleman. A clerk connected with the
Office, and who for various reasons pre-
ferred not to have his name used, gave
interesting Information regarding these
individuals whom the police never ap-
pear TO know anything OF.
THE M,NALLY GANG.
80 begin WITH" began my insor-
mant. who was well posted. having
these green goods men have
not been captured as yet. The ones in
question, who have been ~transacting their
business on Jersey City Heights, were
formerly known as the 'McNally Gang
and had their hang-out at some place
III IeuLn street, Jersey lily. 1uey were
discovered in their i~llegitimate business
there, and moved to a house on Hutton
street.
81 think the number of the house was
167. They were ousted from that
place. sometime in February, and
moved to No. SIS Griffith street, the
house belonging to a M; Hackett.
got out of there, as we had track of them.
and they moved to a liquor store, at the
corner of Sherman yenue and Griffith
street. l forget who runs it,"
~"Dietzmanu,p suggested the reporter.
That's his ne,-Dietzman,-Hans
Dietzmann. Well, they got u of there
soon, TOO. Tor we quickly tracked them.
That was in the latter part of March.
For over a month we lost sight of them.
Then we discovered that they had estab-
lished headquarters at No. BOB Sherman
avenue. they must have moved there
iu April. We got trace OF them about
two weeks ago, but couldn'5 jump at
ever. we satisfied ourselves that they
were our game, and prepared to raid
them. We get there Monday aud they
were gone. fhe woman who lived in that
house could probably tell YOU all about
IL. THAT'S all l know. anyhow"
WHERE TIL GANG HELD R
The reporter recrosseu the hudson
River aud was soon at No. BOB Sherman
avenue. The binding is 4 frame struc-
ture, four stories iu height. The reporter
pulled the bell knob. and hauled out
about six yards OF wire. No one re-
spouded to the yanking; so the scribe
knocked at the lower door. A small girl
opened it and upon the reporters inquiry
as to whether Mrs. Blank was receiving
callers was told to Come right in, sir,
aud ll call ma"
The caller was ushered into a neat
dining room. where a ma and wife were
eagerly devourlng beef a la mode.
Il nave come to get Information re-
gardlng some green goods men. who, it is
Thought, have Invaded this place." an
nonhced the reporter.
No one veutured u reply, but all kept
on chewing. Finally the man took an
extra large supply, aud said:-
"Well, whatA You have?"
"Oh, anylniug [ can get about the
men, The reporter then told what he
knew, and said that he'd like to nave Mr..
Blank add some information. The Nan
then commenced.
You see the men, about twenty-five of
them came here on April l. They had Il
table eud two chairs each, besides lots of
circulars and small boxes and a few
trunks. Tue first lot were quiet enough
and were seldom at home. They went
under the name of the Simpson and
Reed Company They had the third and
top Eoors, each of which have four
rooms. The second lot came about
April Is. and there were about twenty
i've of them, TOO. They brought with
taem only a few tables and boxes. They
were a noisy gang. n a lot of opium
smokers. The whole lot raised the deuce.
They'd lug off q thousand circulars at q
tihfe."
THE CIRCULARS.
"Have you any of the cifcularsf" asked
the reporter.
YES, here they are" and the man
opened u drawer aud handed the reporter
four. one being an explanation of their
mode of conducting business, aud the
other three directions how to reach them
at their headquarters. Each was signed
Your true friend.o The "coHidentiai."
as the explanatory circular was headed,
was typewriter, and was a long epistle.
The other three were evidently copied on
a mimeograph, being of dark Ink.
The 'scouide ntiat" treated of the in
Justice Of the United States Treasury De-
partment, and said that "Uncle Sam has
millions OF our money locked up in the
Treasury, uselessly and unjustly So" 1t
then vent on to say that their scheme
never failed, and that their notes were
perfect as to color. paper, coloflng,
viguette. printing, engraving and sig
natures, and when made to appear as
having been used or handled much, |
aCly tdG Oa1A " w U~tA
them from the genuine" They also say
that there is no danger in the scheme,
Their terms were easy, as $500
buys 1000. and 81. 900 buys $4,000. aud so
on. 1t winds up by saying that il the
person to whom it is directed should not
care to go into the scheme, thas, for good
ness sake. he should not give the green
goods men away, but look upon them as
trying only to befriend him. u help
him IL his financial straits.
The rooms the men occupied were lit
tered with papers, and the walls were
scratched up and big holes dug in them.
Ashes were scattered all over the floor.
The man said that he thought the green
goods men could easily be found ia
Union Hill, and that he could iden-
tIfy any of them IL he saw them.
KERN DIDN'T KNOW HIS TENANTS:
The reporter called on Commissioner
Kern and asked him if he was aware the
green goods men had given him the slip.
He was astonished at such a question,
and inquired what the reporter meant.
He did not know that he had been rent
ing his house to such people.
s'Sofne time In Marcn d nfcsly dressed
man came to me and asked how
much the two upper floors of
No. 1903 Sherman avenne would
rent for he said. II told him twenty
Que dollars. He said he'd take it from
the first OF April. | didn't go near the
place, and didn't know whether a dozen
or one man was in 1t. | don't wen
know the name OF the man VINO lives
there now. I didn't know the ceiling
and walls xvara scratched I'm. must 90