The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-12-23

lilies. Then the correspondent r1Ishes
off to the telegraph station and sends
long specials" to all the newspapers
he can think Of.
In the rush and hurry incident to
the production of a big daily news
paper, the absurdity of the story will
escape attention, and some of the
newspapers may print the yarn. You
may be sure the agents watch the
newspapers closely and clip the story
from those which printed it, chuckling
over the success of their plans. Then
they secure pile Of directories and
send the clippings to persons bearing
the names mentioned as heirs.
The clipping is accompanied by the.
statement that the agents have been
especially appointed by the English
custodian Of the fortune to search for
heirs and the incidental mention of
the fact that, of course, there is a
triflfng preliminary expense before the
fortune can be divided and enjoyed.
There are legal charges, payments of
fees to certain officials etc. ETC., and,
therefore. the petty amount of $40 is
requested from each of the prospec-
tive heirs. Nine out of ten Of the per-
sons so addressed will be apt to send
along the S10. Then the agents pro-
coed to Jolly" their dupes. They
send them letters telling them how
the case is progressing. They quote
extensively from their correspondents
in England, and usually wind up with
an announcement that, owing to GER
tain unforeseen expenses ION the other
side" a further preliminary assess
ment is necessary, etc, etc. This
game is usually kept UP for year or
more. before things get too hot for
the agents" and they are forced to
run from the police, Meantime they
have made a comfortable fortune.
They invariably hire fine offices in a
prominent building, fling out beautiful
gilt signs and are very prolific in turn
ing out gorgeous stationery. with i'm
pressive coats-of-arms and other fila
gree work emblazoned thereon.
a Notorious Case.
A notorious case of this kind oc-
CURED in this city in the spring of
1887. Two of the swindlers, in this in
stance, were sent to Jail, and the
third who fed before the storm broke,
died within few months after eX-
posture came.
Two well-dressed men, posing as
Englishmen. hung out blue and gold
signs announcing that THE British
American Claim Agency was now
ready to do business. They chose a
very prominent office building near
City Hall square to do business in,
and their suite of offices, on the
large and extensively furnished.
Then the agency advertised widely.
Its alleged object was to examine,
pass upon and collect the claims of
next of kin or heirs to estates or for
tunes in chancery in the Bank +of Eng
| land or on the continent of Europe.
Circulars of the agency were sent over
I the country declaring that $4S0,0O000O
of such claims was awaiting claim
ants
Soon letters poured into the agency's
rooms by every mail. Many persons
} went to the agency to make inquiries.
! They were introduced to tall, gray
/ haired man of fine appearance, George
Frederick Parker, the president OF the
concern, and to the secretary, Edwin
! S. Witherell a man of polite and in
sinuating address. Parker was an eX-
convict, who came to this country on
a ticket-of-leaye from Australia by
way of California.
Persons who were led into dealing
with the agency were required to pay
fee Of SO each before their cases
were considered. The agency's scheme
of collection was unfolded in a
! pamphlet sold for so cents. Extra
fees were demanded for expenses from
such wouldIbe claimants as were ready
/ to be gulled. AS much as 500 a day,
on an average, poured into the agen-
cy's money drawer.
All Clean Profit.
No claims were investigated, of
course, and most of the money re-
ceived by Parker and Witherell was
clear profit. They had confederates in
/ London, by whom letters were sent as
decoys, stating that the claimants
mentioned in the letters had the best
possible chance to get rich. The let
tiers were sent, apparently. by James
A. Hales, of lis Chancery lane, Lon
don. One of the blanks dealt out to
victims was as follows: