The sun., 1893-08-10
10000 pIC1IMs or 4 STUPID FRAUD
Fioeced Out of sSO,OO0 ny Man who
Oprrntcd Through the MnIls


WARRINGTON. Dec. 9.-The arrest of W. Dun
bar or w. Nickerson in Philadelphia to-day
causes satisfaction among the Post once in
spectors. because Dunbar or Nickerson has
fleeced some TO- 900 victims. scattered all ovor
the country. out Of $4,000 during the last
four years. by means Of very stupid fraud
perpetrate1 through the mails. Dunbar began
operations on North Capitol street In Washing
ton in the summer of 1882. shortly before the
conclave Of knights TEN plar Of that year. He
secured. as he has since admitted. n lot OF
secondhand stationery OF the House OF Rep
resentatives at the shop of a dealer down
town. and made use OF these letterheads and
envelopes in his business. A real typewriter
letter on the House letter sheets was sent out.
probably by the thousands. in August 1t said:
1t has Just been decided to cugrave portraits OF prom
inent officers aud members OF each commandery who
Tie 400 already competed which includes President
tire Senate and Government otals for free pubiica.
wsshmx,on 1S.trniea The tned states oe%i
souvenir .t OF knight Templars attending this con,
esrecaly designed to perpsua,e ad 81,
sxSns ph la h
extend to yon anu other rrominen: members OF ycSr
1 IN int s ws1 & eUn te or
70 you on ecept OF your rlotosIash cabinet s,1.
heal ga paying cost Of pa,s ny sf
portraits. on completion of plate ana receipt OF
use ar .nS sJTes s pu6eaon Of
which by FAR the inest and most extensively ilu.
SUBJECTS OF national interest relative to Washington
anu IT'S associations yet published
A little notice printed on pink paper was
pasted to the back of this letter. 1t represents
that the portraits would be tho finest copper,
plate enEravings. which were to be completed
ment OF SlU.75 was required.
Dunbnr's business flourishcd so much that
nished offices imm ediately above the National
Safe Deposit Company. at tho corner OF Fiji
teenth and New York avenue, lust within a
stones throw of the Treasury Department.
He used the House stationery for u while,
but he soon had an eytravngantly i'll ustrated
more successfully to inveigle his victims. it
was represented to one group OF them after
the Hos, eSs Ss 5he
and various other important and attractive
bodies were to be set out beautifully in i'm
tually sent their money to Dunbar. expecting
that their pictures would be reproduced in
books.
One scheme resulted In the fleeing OF thou
sands Of Postmasters in this way: The SEN
ntors and member OF Congress received let
Dunbar. and the officers Of the safe Deposit
Company were worried to answer the queries
about Dunbar thnt , came to them ] In every
victim until he made q real victim Of him. ply
ing the man with typewritten letters urging
delays with labored explanations that his en-
craving and printing plants were located in
different cities. and enclosing printed "testi-
than yard long filled with names
Of bank Presidents and public men. Robert
s. Chiffon late private secretary to ex-Vice-
President Morton. was put down as represent;
ing that MIR. Motion WAS entirely satisfied
Jacob Astor. Calvin S. Bricc. j. Edward Sim
mons. and other eminent public men and
bankers were represented as subscribing per-
sonally to similar sentiments One or the
mo st Interesting OF the Intended victims was
OF Senator Cockrell. who corres-
pondcd freely with the man. and helped finally
to expose the fraud.
In Septemb ber, 1880. complaints OF Dunbars
had become so numerous that
the then Chief Inspector Mr.. Rathbone is
sued u circular letter. The result was that
almost 10000 cases where Dunbar had sue
ceeded in obtaining money. or was evidently
about to succeed. were disclosed. The at
tempt to defraud. which it was necessary to
prove under section 1.iGO Of tho postal laws
and regulations in order to convict Dunbar.
was evident enough. but in the opinion Of the
then District Attorney Hoge the intent could
not be proved. The local Post ONCE Inspec-
tors wcre therefore. powerless. and for three
years Dunbar actually continued depredations
on Capitol Hill and In the Sale Deposit Com
pany's bull ding.