The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-04-14

the son of policeman For a while he
was III the royal navy, aud afterward he
served in the United States navy, from
which he deserted. He taught a negro
school in South Carolina, and during the
cpofh of the carpet-bag he was a trial
justice in that state. To escape prosecu-
tlon for NAL easance in once he fed,
clipping with the wife of railway man
Later on he deserted her, went to Geor-
gia and became Baptist preacher.
MORE CHEEK THAN MORALS.
The Rev. G. w. F. Howard had large
red beard, hair of the same color, and a
most plausible address. He possessed no
morals worth mentioning, but his cheek
is described as amazing. After a while
he turned up at jackson, Tenn, as pastor
of church. Scandals, caused by his do
ings, split the congregation in two, one
part standing by the preacher and start
ing new church under his miniStration
he left that town and went to New York,
where he set up "claim agency under
the name of Leger. The business was of
kind that could be conducted more
safely and advantageously from abroad,
and so he transferred it to London, where
he called himself by various aliases, while
known to correspondents from this side of
the water as William Lord Moore.
How he was finally caught has been al
ready told. After escaping from the mar
shall he went back to jackson, Tenn, and
gave himself up, thinking to bluff it out.
He was again the Baptist preacher and
knew nothing of William Lord Moore or
his business. 1t was all case of mis-
taken identity. Unfortunately for, him,
the government was determined to spare
neither pains nor expense in procuring
his conviction. Witnesses were brought
from abroad TO swear that he was Will
lam Lord Moore and none other. Ex-
Minister Lincoln and ex-Consul New,
who had seen the man in England, went
to jackson for the purpose of giving
their testimony. The defense of the
prisoner conducted by himself, was
masterpiece of ingenious efrontery.
Nevertheless, he was sentenced to nine
years in the penitentiary
A typical fraud of the sort worked
through postmasters is that of the piano
prize. The swindler offers by circular 100
pianofortes free to the first 100 persons
who send in applications to his ''manufac-
turing firm" 1t is explained that the
proposition is intended as an advertise
ment Every body who is so foolish as to
answer is a winner, Of course, and is in
formed that the instrument will be for
warded on receipt of $3.50 to pay for
eXpressage and packing. The victim sends
the money, and in due time receives the
piano. 1t is a miniature pianoforte, worth
about 30 cents at any toy store. A good
many "skin games of this character are
conducted through the mails. For exam
pie, the sharper procures from postmas-
terS the names of farmers in their
respective neighborhoods. He sends TO
them circular Offering to each recipient
a corn shucker free on condition that he
will exhibit it to his neighbors and speak
favorably of it, The innocent agricul-
turist replies, and demand is made upon
him for Sl.75 for expressage and pack
ing produces the money. In return the
victim, who supposes that he is going to
obtain a valuable machine gets nothing
more nor less than piece of hoop iron,
worth about half a cent.
FINE STEEL ENGRAVING.
Instead of corn shucker it may be
moving machine sharpener. The victim
sends 81 and gets in return piece of pine
wood dipped in emery-value about half
a cent. One swindier while ago offered
to credulous persons "a fine steel engrav-
ing of George Washington for 81. In
acknowledgment of the cash he sent a
two-cent postage stamp. The posteffice
department was not able to do anything
IN the case because the perpetrator of the
cheat had unquestionably performed the
letter of his agreement. A new kind of
quasi-fraud has recently engaged the at
tention of the department. SO-called pub
fishing companies circulate advertise
ments in which they offer prize, usually
SO, to anybody who sends in correct
guesses of certain skeleton words "
These words are partly spelled, some of
the letters remaining to be supplied.
They are so simple that any one who
knows how to read can do them at a
glance. 1t is explained that every person
who finds out one or more of the words
will receive proportioaate sum of
money.
In due time every guesser is informed
that he or she is winner. But-here
comes in the inevitable requirement-S1
must be sent to the publishing concern, as
a years subscription TO a periodical, be-
fore the prize is payable. Having OBJ
tanned the 81, the firm discovers that there
was a mistake, and the puzzle. which is so
arranged that the skeletons will fit more
than one set of words, was not guessed
correctly after all Nevertheless, it is
disposed to be liberal, and the subscrip-
ton goes" just the same. The periodi-
cal, OF course, is worthless.
MEAN AND PETTY swINDLEs.
The post Office department only the
other day shut up the business of an al
legged publishing company in New Orleans.
WhICll uiSDtlouUSu ClICuidIS duiOhB SoHOOi
teachers all over the country OIering
set of Dickens works for 81 Its practice
was simply to gobble the dollar and re-
frain from further correspondence.
There is another dodge of superior in
genuity which consists in advertising to
give away check for 500 with every
Two, or ii may be thI ee, watches pur-
chased. The check is good enough, prob
ably, but is made payable only after the
buyer has sold a sunicient number OF
watches to net 500 in profits for the
manufacturing firm. Inasmuch as the
firm keeps its own books il need not pay
the 500 until il gets ready. II will be
observed that these swindles prosecuted
through the mails are all Of the meanest
possible character Most Of them are in