The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-19
$4,000 FOR BOGUS GOLD.
MRS. FRIES YELL DEAD WHEN she
FOUND SIZE WAS sWINDBED.

The swindle was OF the simpiest Character
1T was Engineered by Polish Jews
Brns. FiIinE. Made to Pass n. Gold Dust
Newark the Scene OF the Robbery-The
Savings OF n Sviiinmsbureh Family stolen
A queer story OF a gold dust swindle was
developed yesterday In Williamsburgh. The
victims were Mrs. Elizabeth Fries 50 years
old. OF 140 Richardson street: her son. Joseph
Fries. 81 years old. and her son-in-law. Max
Louis Mrs. Fries died on discovering that she
had been defrauded. The swindlers are said
to have been Polish Jews and to have secured
$4,000 In cash. 1t was through the arrest OF
Jacob Schater.a peddler OF fancy goods and
notions OF 800 Flushing avenue, that the story
came to light.
Schafer is As years old. He has wife and
four children. When he is out peddllng his
wife manages little fancy goods store In the
lower part Of the house. Among Schater's
customers were the Fries family, including
Henry Fries. the father: Mrs. Fries the
mother: Mrs. Max Louis the married dnugh-
ter. and her husband. and two sons. Joseph
and Charles. For years the family have car
ried on a fat-rendering establishment on New
town Creek and they accumulated consider
able money Mrs. Fries had $4,000 In bank;
the son. Joseph. $4,000. and Louis $4,000.
The family began trading with Schafer about
six months ago. Schafer used to stay at the
house long time whenever he went there.
He told Mrs. Fries one day In August that II he
had money he could become rich In week.
What would make you rich2" Mrs. Fries
asked.
Gold dust: there's o mint In it." he re-
piled.
After Schafer left, Mrs. Fries asked her mar
ried daughter IL gold dust was really worth
anything. Mrs. Louis warned her mother
against taking any stock In what Schafer told
her. A week later Schafer was at the house
again. He found Mrs. Fries alone and re-
sumed tho gold dust talk. He told her that
two OF his old school chums had Just arrived
from Russia with many bags OF gold dust.
which they had bought very cheap from Rus
sian gold mine owners. That night Mrs. Fries
told her ons and her son-in-aw about 1t.
Joseph Fries and his brother-in-law expressed
willingness to buy gold dust II the stuff was
genuine. They called upon Schafer and asked
him where the men with tho gold dust lived.
Schafer said at 80 Rankin street. Newark.
and four weeks ago took them there. No 80
Rankin street is frame house; On the second
shs TS
Both had boards and spoke like Hebrews.
There were few chairs In the room. 2 table.
duced his friends one OF tho men rubbed his
hands and said to Fries:
My friend schaier tells me you want to buy
II all depends upon how much It L. worth
and what we can buy 1t for" replied Fries.
bag snd took Sc sd dut
He told Fries and Louis to take some OF the
visitors left the man pointed 70 two other bags.
and said THAT they. with the bag on the
frss SSu IL. b sSeshs to R
lamsburgh. they went to q Jewelry store in
Grand street and had the sample Of gold dust
Both men went to Newark twice again. and
each time brought back pa ssmpiss OF the stun
sen%n Two Weeks ago F1es
and Louis. accompanied by Mrs. Fries. went to
Newark to negotiate for the purchase base Of some
1t. but would moi, pay the $4,000 which the
swindlers demanded
NJ. We f, haven't as much money as that said
Then i'll tell you what I'll do" answered
one Of the swindlers. I'm take out some OF
The nhe Dust and give you the three bags Tor sle-
Mrs. Fries and her son hold Off and wero on
woa op tse
bags. but not a dollar less. This was agreed
to by Mrs. Fries. and an appointment for the
money was made Tor he night q Of, I.
When the party S9t home and t9ld what they
her mother. saying she had q feeling that the
dealers were not sincere Mrs. Fries wouldn't
listen to her daughters advice. The next day
savings a from st The bank. They had $4,000 II
ali. fhey kept the money In the house until
They yV drove to Newark in wagon on the af-
ternoon OF Oct 7. The swindlers, were waiting
F3e I" ss
and wagon. Mrs: Fries, paid over $40. 900 IN
three bags about twelve Inches high. which
were laid in the wagon: Then the party start
y Il " was es1 late s when they got BACK Mrs Louis
1ad purchased acid with which to test the gold
md her husband to carry the bags up stairs. |
rhe bags were laid on table and Mr.. Louis
o the filings and the metal turned black.
Go %rn sSSSs been 'wnded and
All the members Of the family, turned pale.
Louis told his wife to open another bag. She
,taf The contents Of the third bag were no
Mrs. Fries put her hands to her face and
,eyerai times and foil back dead on the bed.
The two men hurried back to Newark. 1t
They discovered that tho swindlers had dlsap::
peared., woman In the house told Fries and
as sna sa
hay had acted like gentlemen,
The two men returned to Williamsburgh. In
street station had been notified Of the sudden
Heath OF Mrs Fries. None Of the family said
anything about tho gold dust. and the case
passed as one ofdsath from heart disease.
On Monday. Joseph Fries met bet ectiye Car
oil OF the Herbert street station, and told him
II the swindlnR. He said that he was ASHAMED
% have anybody know anything about II.
Carroll induced him to make a complaint, and
,chafer was arrested. He was taken to the
Even Street Police Court, where he mphati-
,ally d on ied that he had been concerned In tho
whaling. Justice Watson held him In 5000
)ail for examination.
A Sun reporter saw Mrs. Louis. her husband,
md her brother at their house yesterday after
loon.
lit took mother and all Of US a long time to
# US would have cared about losing tho
money II only mother hadn't died right after
he saw that she had been swinded. When
ve went to Schafer's house to ask him about
t he assured us that he didn't know anything
bout the matter He also said that he had
orgotten the names OF his sch0olmates. WHY.
tier he told Ne that he would give up bis
BUSINESS and his life II necessary II We could
how that he had been concerned In the
transaction, his wife got mad and demanded
800 as com mission for her husband having
made the eold-dust bargain. None Of us were
Wiling to prosecute Schafer on account OF his
anily. but now my brother is determined to