The morning call., 1893-01-21
NORTH'S SCHEME.
How He Went Fishing for
Gudgeons.
THEY SENT LETTER STAMPS
The Swindier Was Caught by tiIs
Postal Inspectors and Landed
in Jail.

Frederick l.. North. formerly q trusted
empIoye in the establishment of Grant,
Murphy & Co., is United States prisoner
in the Broadway jail.
Mr.. North was down on his luck and he
concocted a scheme to turn the tide. He
invested 81 in a rubber-type outfit. His
scheme was nipped in the bud. but had 1t
been allowed to flower he would have
realized 81 60 on his investment. The net
result to him Is cot in the already over
crowded County Jail and a startling shock
to his friends outside.
Sunday, week ago, Mr.. North contri-
tributed the following advertisement to
morning paper:
" ANTED-TRAVELING SALESMAN FOR CAL
w ifornia ana Mexico; 5000 per year and
penses; references Tequired; incloSe self-ad-
dressed stamped envel pc for reply. Address Tor 3
days, box 4S72, - once.
The advertisement ELECTED about fifteen
answers from needy yet skillful gentlemen
anxious for employment nder such liberal
terms. To each applicant the following
reply was forwarded
c. L. North. H B. Henderson.
G. +. North & Co,
Manufacturers Agents and Brokers.
100 broadway.
SAN Francisco. Jan. IL. 1893.
Dear Sir: Your application for a position with
our house duly received. We wish TO say that
we are about 10 make San Francisco cur Western
headquarters and desire TO hire only such sales
men as can give our business their undivided
attention. We represent leading Eastern and
the dry goods notion and small hardware
trade. Your letter has favorabiy i'm
pressed US and II you think Yourself
California you may oil out The blanks on back
of Ibis letter and return same 10 Mr.. Hender-
son (as per nelOsed envelope). FIJI out refer
"a aa nj
or firms and lnclose stamps FOR us TO Write 10
them and for their replies Should we not think
II necessary 10 write 10 all your references we
Will return stamps not used upon your calling
our attention 10 the matter. To close VIII say
that We control the entire production OF several
mills, and in consequences There Is no trouble
c. +. NORTH s. Co.
The letter bore a printed heading. The
words New York were crossed out and San
Francisco written above them. Enclosed
was an envelope on which was printed with
rubber type. III. B. Henderson. Lick House.
San Francisco"
With but one or two timorous exceptions
the gentlemen who renewed their CORE spon-
dence with G. +. North & Co. gave from two
to twenty references and inclOsed postage
stamps A few OF them to show they were
abreast of the times inciosed the new Co.
lumbar issue.
Unfortunately for the successful issue of
Mr.. North's gigantic enterprise he selected
the Lick House for his preliminary field of
operations The appearance OF bic mail
for Ii. b. Henderson, person unknown 10
Manager Soule and his clerks, was for some
days a hotel mystery The veil WAS
slightly lifted few days later by the ar
rival of the following letters:
SAN FRANCISCO Jan. -, 1893.
The Lick House. CftV-DEAR SIRs: / am In
receipt Of letter from II. b. Henderson of New
YORK In when he states that he expected 10 be
IN san Francisco IN few days, and for you to
hold mall for him on his order. Very truly
yours, j. I. CRAWFORD.
The foregoing letter was written on
single sheet of note-paper with the name of
the Del Monte saloon, l Grant avenue,
| printed thereon.
MI Henderson's mall was carefully
| slowed away TO await his coming, but he
/ came not. Instead the corridors from day
TO day began TO swarm with well-shaved
! gentlemen. with derby hats and canes, in
| curing in at first friendly way for a gem
| tleman named Henderson.
Finally. Il well-dressed Oaklander beck
| 0ned Clerk Frank Smith aside, and asked
| him as special favor If he would not let
| him see Henderson. He wants first-class
| salesman" lie said, land [ need the place
pretty badly. / don't mind paying some
thing extra if can get ahead Of the other
fellows What is the number of Mr.. Hen
| derson's room?"
Mr. Smith assured the gentleman he had
no idea who Henderson was. Then the
| stranger drew from his pocket the letter he
received from {. +. North & Co. Mr.. Smith
read it and smiled. You must be a gud-
geon II YOU think there is any opening for
| business in that letter." he sail, as he
| handed it back. THAT fellow is only work.
| ing racket for few postage stamps"
The dapper-lO0kng drummer turned pale.
| Then he said, We'll. thought | knew
| something myself, but Pm a blamed sucker.
| That fellow IS welcome TO my stamps.
Il Don't saw ANYTHING more about IL -
The Lick House people sent the Hender-
son mail back to the POstoffice. A number
| of the victims fled their grievances with the
| postal authorities. Chief Inspector George
L. Seyboldt detailed his assistant inspector,
James w. Irwin. to discover the enterprlsing
| philatelist.
Meanwhile a round-faeed, chunky-bullt
| man dropped into the Lick House and
handed to Manager SOule letter signed by
| III. Is. Henderson. The writer stated that
he had just arrived but had to go to Los
| Angeles on the next train, and closed with
the request that his mail be handed to the
| bearer.
Mr.. Soue quietly informed the man that
| Mr.. HendersOn's letters bad been returned
to the Postoifice, where he would find them.
This was on Wednesday night. The man
| stepped outside and waited until the watch
| changed. Then he returned and presented
| the same order to Clerk Smith, who gave
| him the Warmest kind of greeting Smith
| respectable firm would be guilty of bleeding
| applicants for situations for postage stamps.
Without attempting to make any defense
the man skunk away.
Acting upon the description furnished
| him. Mr.. Irwin Yesterday traced North to
his haunt at the Del Monte saloon and laid
in wait. About o'clock the young man
walked in. picking his teeth and looking
| quite unconcerned.
Mr.. Irwin addressed him by his name,
Aalv l. 40 - IL .zf
| the c. F. North g. Co. letters. North de-
MED any knowledge Of the letters, but said
| he bad brother who was Ia business in
| New York at the address given. The
officer asked him III he had not called at the
| Lick House for the Henderson letters. He
said he had not. Would he accompany Mr..
Irwin to that hotel? why. certainly" he
replied. and the two walked down to Mont
| gomeTy street.
"Yes; that's the man. said Mr. Smith.
"Oh, you are certainly mistaken" replied
| Mr.. North. I'm respectable business
man. It's very serious matter TO prefer
charge like this against me-"
| well, you nre the man who came here
for those letters, all the same," replied the
clerk, and Mr.. Soule also said he was the
bearer of the letter from Henderson.
| Then Inspector Irwin took his prisoner
up to 313h OFarrell street, North's lodg-
ings.
The young man continued to protest his
Innocence and showed his stationery by
way of proof. His letter-paper was printed
''North Bros. 81 Silvia" San Francisco.
Where is your rubber stamp?" said the
| inspector.
North walked to the mantelpiece and
took down box Of rubber type.
How does 1t happen" Irwin said. 'that
this type corresponds exactly with that used
in printing the envelopes addressed ID. b.
| Henderson, Lick House?"
well, may as well own up" said North.
81 confess / sent out all those letters"
The inspector and North. half an hour
later, sat in Mr.. Seyboldts Office, on the top
| floor of the Appraisers building. There
North made clean breast of the transac-
ton. BE told how his poverty had tempted
| him and hnnt W han ha had dionnrnrnd he