Omaha daily bee., 1893-10-15
FUNNY FRAUDS OF FAKIRS
They Induce the 0redulous to Pile Up
Several Snug Fortunes.
SKIN GAMES SUCCESSFULLY WORKED
The Picture Artist and tho Userut Article
Dispenser ingcnious.y Corral ~ stake
Wonderful Curc-AIls from the
same Bottle.

OF a c%lovcrly wordcd advertisement q,
tlamboyant prospectus, is abroad once
more,
The last one of the generic class To
enter the field, relates the New York
Journal, is u clever schemer who dcliv-
ers the goods he promises, but they arc
not what the doluded individual at tho
other end of the line expected to re-
ccive.
Benjamin Mitchell of Lambeut,ille is
the first one who has allowed his namo
to 60 on record as an easy mark. He
heard that II certain New York firm
would give l35 useful household articles
in return for 81 and the names of ton
persons to whom catalogues could DO
sent.
Mitchell sent the money, and received
by return mail l35 sewing needles, worth
in ali about - cents.
Even the consignec had to acknowl-
edge that each one of the l35 needles
n u useful household article" but no
felt he had been swindled and made tho
matter public.
This scheme, which apparently does
not come directly under tho law govern
ing the obtaining of money under false
prctenscs, recalls several others of a
similar nature that mad fortunes for
the ingenious inventors before tn, po-
lice and postoficc authorities stepped in
and broke up the profitable games.
One Of the most barefaccd and at the
same time one of the best and most
a~lluring offers, was made by a shrewd
Cincinnati man some eight years ago.
He was n picture Trainer by trade, but
could not make ends meet by working at
the bench. For weeks he tried to think
of SOM plan whereby he could mako
money without working for it. He
finally struck me.
1t was at the time that a pretty litho-
graph, in several tints, entitled "The
Rock of Ages" was being literally sold
throughout the country for 500. The
colors, of which there were-four, were
delicately and gracefully blended.
The Cincinnati man saw this piece of
work and soon evolved his scheme. He
sent circulars broadcast throughout tho
country to the effect that he had copies
of 1.-The Rock of Ages" in twelve colors
and would sell single copies for the re-
markably low price of $3.50, including a
heavy frame.
There was a rush all over the country
TO buy. Ina months time chaos reigned
in the man small store. He found it
impossible to fill his orders. He had to
take in a partner and move to more
commodious quarters.
When the picture was sent it was seen
that 1t was only in one color, generally
black.
An explanatory letter accompanied
the box. ...,1f'
In it the willy Cincinnati man dwelt on
the beauties of his picture. He trusted
thai the color would suit, but if it didn't,
as he had the same picture in eleven
other colors, 1t might be exchanged for
a green or yellow one by the payment OF
eXpressage and a small sum to cover tho
expense of packing.
The man who thought out this scheme
carried it on for several years. 1t was
finally brought up with a sharp turn by
the p~ostoflice officials, but not before he
ST. 600, 900. He is now living quietly In
Cincinnati.
Some three years ago an alluring
bait was thrown out by q man named
Watts of San Francisco.
Watts was Il we'll known man about
town who had quickly squandered an in
heritance left him by an old aunt. He
bad no business application. 1t was
necessary for him to have money, ard
lots of it,. He finally evolved IL scheme,
of which the needle game is the out
growth.
He advertised that 100 useful table
articles would be forwarded to any adj
dress on the receipt of So, all charges
paid.
When the small box containing these
articles was opened 100 cheap quill
tOOthpicks were seen inside.
Watts ran the business eighteen
months before some of the victims got
after him and forced him to discontinue
it. But even in that short time he ac-
cumulatcd II fortune that kept him NOV
ing in the swift circle that he adorned
for five years afterwards. He finally
died in tho alcoholic ward of the San
Bernardino hospital.
Patent medicine fakirs have played a
prominent part in these ingenious
schemes to get money out of the un
sophisticated. One of the most success
full in this class was a C~hicagoan by tho
name OF Willing. He finally got hold of
what he thought was u money-maker.
1t was a liquid for increasing flesh.
One bottle was supposed to add twenty
pounds at least to the frame even of u
skeleton. He advertised certain articles
that he did not have in stock. One was
a mixture called "krettine,' which he
declared would take the curl out Of a
Negroes hair.
He put what he thought was a pro-
hibitivc price of 50 d bottle on it. Money
fairly poured in from all parts of tho
south.
He then saw that the ''krettine'' fraud
was better than the fattcning liquid.
But it was necessary to get up some mix
ture to send tn the poor people who had
blindly sent on their money. He called
in the services OF d drug clcrk who got
up some perfumed, harmless mixture
that was made by the h%ogshead,
Thousands of gallons of it were sold
in small bottles. The scheme was ex-
posed after u few months, but not before
Willing cleared over $1,000 0 out of it.
Another mixture Of IA similar kind