Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-10
DUNBAR'S MANY SCHEMES.
Getting Money From People Who
Wanted Their Pictures Published.

"anteu ihetr PICTURES Published.
The arrest in Philadelphia yeste,day, an.
nounced III The Star, Of Whitman Dunbar
allas w. Nickerson. brings to close for
the present at least OF a somewhat interest
ing career. Dunbar is accused of us.rg
the malls to promote a fraudulent scheme.
me arrest was made on a bench warrant
from this city, where, il is alleged. he made
ms headquarters while working several
schemes These schemes bore a family re-
sembiance. The general plan was to send
circular letters to persons in different Lar Il
OF the country asking for biographical
sketches and photographs of themselves to
There were so many people not UNWILLING:
70 nave their Biographies and Iikenesses
mus preserved for posteri1y that Dunbar
FOUND no lack OF victims.
owing to the adroit manner in which he
worded his circulars, 1t is said. 1t has been
u matter OF extreme difficulty to secure his
scheme. The postal officials assert that
w Wbnnar Is about the shckest, Individual
long time. and the history of his method of
working Is an interesting one.
The Charges Against Him.
according to the charges against him
dunbar commenced his operations in o.
tooer. 1889. by sending through the mails
letters and notices that he was about to
oSSiA Tie PuDllCduOn OF an SEls)OratG WORK
to be called The United States Post Office
department, Illustrated" which would con-
tam a large number of line copper plate
portraits. The cost of the worl; was to be
sio.'o, ana he also sent circulars through
the mails to members Of the MlsOlic order
ana the knights Templar that he was get
ing out Masonic work. which would have
department devoted 70 the Templar con-
clave held In the city Of Washington. Thus
ncation was to be entitled the knights
ttp OF america 1t was represented
n hn lioha,
$4,000: would contain 1000 copper plate en-
cravings, and the names Of 5000 knights
, rhemplar. In each letter Dunbar sent
co 10 De sample page of the proposed
work. references were given and the name
o tt ~ hnlghts Iemplar were added. with
the sta tement that their portraits would
so In the work. But neither publica uon
ever materialized. though each subscriber
Sheerfuiiy contributed his so for the privi-
book. "ppe"' AA VIC
Dunbar. at his hearing before United
states Commissioner Craig in Philadelphia
yesterday, did not appear in the least dis
turoed, frankly lifting that he was the
one named In the Indictment He refused
70 make any effort to get bail. declaring it
was not case which justii ed the requiring
OF bail. He was then held in 81, 900 ball for
his appearance before Judge Rutler when
IL ID hkeiy ne will be removed to this city.
His Career in This City.
Dunbar established himself In this city
- >A.NSohA" SoAeS vi oiiceo Hi tht Na-
uonal Safe Deposit building. corner Of 18th
street and New York avenue. One Of his
nrst enterprises was % send circulars to
persons attending President Earrison's in
augural ball inviting them to send their
photographs. to be used In illustrating a
souvenir volume. and sl6.75 to pay the cost
OF the necessary copper plate engraving,
which was to be returned to the person
written to after the completion Of the work.
Then he started a scheme to get money
from the Knights Tenplar, the proposed
volume to be an illustrated souvenir of the
triennial conclave held here in 1889. Next
1t appears that he undertook q much mora
gigantic scheme, the WORK to be known as
America Illustrated and II Is asserted
that many distinguished public men sent to
worth about $50. Then he moved TO Phila-
delphia, where he opened an Office and con-
inued his business.