The herald., 1893-06-26
IT MUST Be PROFITABLE WORK.
Green Goods Circulars Received
in Great Numbers.
A Criminal Business Which Ought
to Be Suppressed.
Chief GLASS Gives Dissertation on the
Nefarious Practices of Sharpers
who Practice on the Cupid
ity of the Unwary.

Chief of Police Glass sat in his Office
yesterday with a large pile of letters on
the desk before him.
The chief was weary and with good
reason, for the letters were only few
of some hundreds of green goods circu-
lars which have been given him by citi-
zens during the last few weeks.
81 used at fret" he remarked, "to
send them on to Inspector Byrnes of
New York, but have ceased doing so
since l received communication from
him in which he said he was unable to
do anything in the matter, and request
ed me to take no further notice OF
them.
'People have no idea of the extent to
which this swindle has grown. There
will always be a number of fools who
think they can get something for moth
ing, and apparently the green goods men
think they are plentiful in California,
for lately the country has been flooded
with these letters. Occasionally they
insert genuine 81 bill in their circular
as an additional bait for the victim. If
he takes it to the bank, the officials
there of course pronounce it genuine
and he Immediately flies to the conclu-
sion that the bills offered for sale are
just as good. These swindler5 not only
use the mails to further their schemes
but also bribe telegraph operators to
assist them in their transactions.
II remember that at one time they
directed their dupes to answer their
communications by telegraph to sta
tion ON the Mississippi river There
was only water tank there and post
Office, telegraph station and store COM
bined. The postmaster operated the
telegraph and looked after the store. 1t
became known that the green goods men
had made the station one of their branch
headquarters and government inspect
or was cent down. He asked the
postmaster where the man lived to
whom the kilograms were sent and was
told that he lived out in the country.
but would probably call in for his mail
in a day or go. The inspector waited,
but the man did not show up, 30 the
postmaster was questioned as to his
place of residence. Out over the
river declared the postmaster. The
4 AACpOObOA lOBAiCo W obAbAhS WiO hO
was and ordered the man to take him to
the residence of the person to whom 50
many kilograms were sent.
"They started out together and walked
for two days, after which the fellow
broke down and confessed he was paid
by the green goods company to transmit
their messages to New York. Another
| telegraph operator in Gsddesden, Ala,
was also discovered to be in the pay of
these swindlere.
cit is remarkable that Inspector Burns,
with his wonderful resources, has been
unable to make New York too hot to
| hold them"
just then Mr.. William Ford of East
| Los Angeles came in and gave the chief
letter, which he left with the remark
that he ''would call for it,later."
81 know what it ia without looking in
side," sighed the chief, and the letter
was added to the pile in front of him.
Among the envelopes containing cir
culars were communications addressed
to Supervisor Francisco, E. L. Griffith,
etc.