The daily morning journal and courier., 1894-08-21
SLICK SWINDLER EXPOSED
Y. T. SANFORD TRIED TO GET
 MONEY FROM GEN. MERWIS.

 Got Letter From Agent Preston and
 Substituted Another for it-Forged Pres.
 toms Name to the substitute L,ttsr-
 Complaint Made to tho Police. Frederick B. Sanford. who has lived at f9 Auburn street, Is wanted by the pos lice to answer to charge of attempting to secure money by false representa-. tons. A warrant was issued for his ar rest last night by Assistant City Att torney Matthewman. but up to a late hour Sanford had not been found and it Is believed that he got wind of the fact that he was to be arrested and conse- quently shook the dust of the Elm City off his feet and skipped the town. For some time the charitable resi- dents of this city have been more or lesn victimized by people who call upon them and attempt to secure money from them on various sorts of pleas and schemes. Sanford Is apparently one Of this class, but his method Is decided unique and ingenious. Last Thursday afternoon Sanford called on General S. F. Merwin at the latter's office in the Yale National bank and asked him for money. After he had introduced him. self to General Merwin he said: Well, general. I have voted for you every time you were nominated for any office and have worked hard to secure your election. Now l am in need myself and would like to have you help me out with some money. I am out of work, cannot secure any,and my family are in destitute circumstances.
 General Merwin, after listening to Sanford's tale of woe, told him he would investigate the caR and if he called in day or two later. he might be able to do something. He also told him to tell his story to Agent Preston of the Organ ized Charities and bring him a letter from that official and everything would be all right Sanford thereupon depart ed after saying that he would surely come back in a day or two, and General Merwin immediately notified Agent Preston of the case, telling him that he thought it ought to be investigated
 Agent Preston at once started to in- vestigate the case and found ns result of his investigation that Sanford was drinking man and that he and his fam fly had but recently come to this city from Hartford. This information ha communicated to General Merwin with the suggestion that Sanford was not a worthy object of charity, but it might be good plan to try to send the family back to Hartford so that they would not become town charges.
 Yesterday afternoon Sanford called upon Agent Preston and asked him for assistance, and also for letter of rec- ommendation to General Merwin. Agent Preston told him that he did not con- slider him a suitable object for charity, but offered to let him split wood in the wood yard connected with the institu- tion. To this Sanford objected and again asked for a letter to General Mer- win. Finally Agent Preston wrote 8 letter in which he set forth the facts of the case, that Sanford was drinking man and not worthy of charity, etc., and gave it to Sanford to deliver to the general. With the letter in his pocket Sanford departed from the Organized Charities.
 A short time afterward the telephone rang and Agent Preston answered it. At the other end of the wire was Gen. eral Merwin. The latter said to Agent Preston: Well, see you have changed your mind in reference to that case of Sanford's which I reported to you a day or two ago. I have a letter from you which he brought" Explanations werd then in order and a few minutes later General Merwin entered the Charitied building bringing with him the letter which purported to have come from Agent Preston and was delivered by Sanford. The letter read as follows:
 Aug. 20. 1894 General s. E. Merwin:
 Dear Sir:-Fred B. Sanford came to me this afternoon. think his caea ie worthy. If you can help him, do so, his case but have not had time to see you since.
 With respect.
 $. o. Preston, agent
 Of course after explanations had besR made it was readily seen that Sanford had extracted Agent Preston's original letter from the envelope. written sub- stitute himself and delivered 1t to Gen. ral Merwin. When Agent Preston b. came aware of this fact, he immediately consulted Assistant Attorney Matthew man with the result that q warrant far his arrest was issued ana the police ats now looking for him. At the time Sah- ford called on MT. Preston, the latter thinks he was under the influence e1 liouor Sanford did not get any moudf from General Merwin.
 Picnic of St. RoseAs Guild,