The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-13
THE MORNING NEWS: THURSDAY. DECEMBER 10. 1894

Thompson produced a newspaper alleged
f TO be printed IN Sonora. which contained
f an article stating that wonderful discov-
cries Of gold mines had been made in
Sonora and thar Elijah Thompson was
I in the secret.
The swindler then began TO play upon
j the banker with his glib tongue, and in
formed him that, owing TO poor health.
j ne was compelled TO leave the mines. and
some time after learned that Yaeger was
I IN Tampa, Fla, and he came on 10 see
him, but failed to do so, and thereupon
/ proposed to take Yaeger in as a partner
and give him a third interest in the mine
7 The banker became interested i'm the mat
I ter and asked for proof that the mine
really existed, whereupon Thompson Of
Tered TO show him two gold bricks the
product Of the mine. which he had brought
/ with him and left with Gonzales at a
camp on the outskirts of. Palatka, Fla
I lie became apprehensive that some one
would steal them and he had buried them
several feet under the ground near the
camp.
THE banker thought the venture was
an admirable business one and together
with Thompson. they proceeded TO Pal
atka. where they remained over night at
the hotel, and the following morning Sc
cured "A cab and drove out 10 the camp
to examine the bricks. Thompson was ap-
parently very cautious lest any one should
see him dig up the treasure, and, leaving
Naeger at the camp. he proceeded to tho
spot where the bricks were hidden. and
in a few minutes returned with them.
The banker was not yet satisfied TO enter
the scheme until the genuineness of the
bricks had been proven, whereupon
Thompson readily agreed to the PROPOSE
ton Haeger then remarked that he
would have them tested by a chemist at
Ocala, aud they drove back to Leesburg.
Suddenly Thompson remembered that he
mad in his possession "A card Of a Mr.. Les
lie. a chemist, formerly of the Philadel-
phia mint, and as Leslie was in Leesburg
he would readily test the bricks if it was
agreeable to Mr.. Yaeger
The latter accepted the proposition, but
before submitting them to a test marked
his name on one end of the bricks and
also bored a hole in each one and ex-
tracted some of the alleged gold. This was
given TO Leslie, who made an examina-
ton and pronounced the pieces genuine
gold, and further stated that the two
bricks were valued at about $50, 900. The
bricks were weighed and found to weigh
forty pounds each, and both parties agreed
to place them in a trunk. The banker
now agreed to so into partnership with
Thompson on condition that he could re-
tain the bricks, and Thompson consented
to let him have them If he would let him
have $1,000 in advance. The banker in
formed him that just then he could only
raise $4,000. and Thompson agreed to ac-
cept this amount, and when the money
was given to him Yaeger remarked that
he intended to go to New Orleans to have
the bricks assayed and made into coin.
Thompson replied that it was all right:
that he would be at the depot in the morn
ing to see him off, and left, but failed to
show up.
The banker kept the bricks securely
locked up in the trunk in his room. and
on Tuesday left for this city, and arrived
here yesterday morning. He secured a
cab, and after seeing his trunk was
placed in the vehicle. he instructed the
driver TO proceed to the mint. on his
arrival here he requested the officials
to open the trunk. as he had in some
unaccountable maner lost the key. This
they refused to do, and advised him to go
to a locksmth and have the trunk
opened, and he was then driven to one on
St Peter. between Charities and De-
catur streets where the trunk was
opened. The banker, however, became
uneasy with such large amount of
money in his possession and, being alone
with 1t, concluded to secure police pro-
lection, and was accordingly taken to the
| Third precinct station He informed
Corporals Jagot and Capo, at the sta
ton, of what amount of money he had,
and then went to the locksmith's with
him, and concluded to bring the trunk
!
detain him until Capt. Journee could
be sent for. On the arrival of the latter,
the trunk was opened and the bricks
taken out and Yaeger then explained his
story to him. After hearing the story,
the captain instructed the above officers
to accompany Yaeger and his trunk to the
mint, and when the bricks were tested
they were pronounced to be nothing more
than lot of brass. Yaeger, on hearing
this statment, almost became frantic,
and it was several minutes before he re-
| covered from the effects of the shock.
HE was then taken to the station where
he made a written statement of the
transaction after which he was taken to
the central station and Intercepted by
Chief Castor, who, on asking for a de-
scrlption of Thompson stated he was
man about feet inches in hight, with
a black mustache, good teeth, dark skin
and weighed about 100 pounds. The other
man. the pal of Thompson. he said he
only saw on one occasion. The men were
extremely anxious for him to go to New
Orleans and on last Wednesday he saw
them at Palatka, and they informed him
that they would follow him on. The chief
consoled him to the best of his ability,
and informed him that the swindlers
might probably stiI remain around
Florida to catch another victim and
again they might be on their way to the
north. He told of how Bray, the
paNnbroker, was duped some years ago
by gold brick swindlers, and Yaeger said
he remembered reading about it, but
thought he was too sharp to be trapped
by them. The victim was shown all of
the northern and western gold brick
swindlers. whose pictures are in the
rogues gallery. but he was unable to
identify any of them. Yaeger took the
matter very hard, and stated that he had
a bill of 5000 to meet, but now he could
not and was in a terrible plight. He will
leave for home to-day, sadder but wiser
man