Birmingham age-herald., 1895-02-24
OUT SIX THOUSAND! The Much Talked of Gold Brick
 Swindle
PROVES A STERN REALITY
William Dobbins Tells of the Transaction = A Letter
 From the SWindlers.

IL is true.
 The story of the gold brick.
 MT. William Dobbins is out just s6o00 cold cash.
 Much has been written and said sbout the gold brick swindle practced on MT. William Dobbins, an honest and highly respected man living near Sloss fur mace, just on the outskirts 0. the city, but the whole of the story had never been told until yesterday afternoon, when Mir. Dob- bins expressed a willingness to be inter- viewed; not by professional reporter, but by his long g-time friend and acquaintance, the editor of this paper. It is long story of sadness, with a commingliug of humor, Imaginable trickery and 6endish robbery. AT THE BANK. On Thursday morning last MT. Dobbins, who Is deposiior in the Jefferson County Savings bank, entered the banking house, accompanied by a man about feet tall, i, weighing about zoo pounds, broad shoul dered and full stubby beard, whom Mi Dobbins introduced to MT. E. F. Ensen, the cashier, as his kinsman. The man was of the western hoosier build and not very refined in appearance. MT. Dobbius stated to Mir. Enslen that he (Mr. Dob- bins) wanted s6000 for a purpose. MT. Enslen was somewhat surprised, on &C., count of tue size of the proposed with drawal, and asked MT. Dobbins why he wanted so much money at once. The an- swer was, "I want to make QUICK DEAL, will redeposit the amount, and a great deal more within ten days.' MT. Enslen explained to him that he had better bring a certain certificate of deposit which he owned and attach it to ten days paper, that he might draw the amount desired. MT. Dobbins was willing, and stated that he would have to go out home and get the certificate. All this time the stranger stood close to Mir. Dobbins. At this junc- ture he said: "We'll get on our bicycles and run out home." This was repeated by MT. Dobbins, who never rode a bicycle, to MT. Enslen. The two then left the bank. Shortly afterward they returned together with the certificate and were prepared to receive the money.
 WANTED CURRENCY. MT. Marx, the teller, aud MT. Enslen, the cashier, suggested that MT. Dobbins receive check for the amount. The stranger, in low voice, said: 'sTell him the gentleman cannot use a check.' MT. Dobbins repeated: stfhe gentleman can not use a check.n Then said Cashier Enslen, "We'llhave to pay you in silver '' friend cannot use silver.n "My friend cannot use silver, '' repeated MT. Dobbins. So finally it was agreed to pay down 5000 in gold and S3000 in paper, which was done, and the two departed.
 On Friday morning MT. Dobbins came into the bank alone. It was legal boli- day, but MT. 0. F. Enslen, president of the bank, was in his office. MT. Dobbins approaching him asked:
 "wHAT IS GOLD woRTH?''
 MT. Enslen's answer was that it was only worth par in currency-no premium, thinking MT. Dobbins was inquiring as to the value of gold coin. Mir. Dobbins told him he meant gold bullion. As quick as thought it occurred to MT. Enslen that his patron had been swindIed by the .'quick deal' he had mentioned the day before, and he asked him if he had been stated that he had purchased two yaluab ble gold bricks, which he intended to carry to the mint at New Orleans aud have coined. Mir. Enslen ques- the s60OO he had drawn from the bank he had made the purchase, and then informed him that he was a badly swindIed victim. MT. Dobbins disagreed with him, insisting that it was all right-a splendid bargain.
 From this time the
 RUMoR SPREAD
 that good old MT. Dobbins, who for more than twenty years has lead an honor able life and accumulated small fortune in Birmingham with his truck garden, had been victimized by gold brick swindlers in the sum of 5000. MT. Dobbins was sought by reporters and others, and would tell nothing, denying that he had been swindled in any wise.
 LETTER COMES.
 Yesterday mornings mail brought to lowing letter, which caused him to change his mind as to the value of his investment. It was postmarked Alexander City, Ala, and Mobile and Birmingham Railway post office, and addressed:
 MT. William Dobbins, Birmingham, Ala, be- e tween Thirty second and Thirty third Sts.,
 near Sloss Furnace:
 MR. DoBBINs-I hurry to tell you of your loss. Those two chunks ere solid brass. You have been swindled. You bought two pieces of brass. They are painted. Take your krife and scrape them; the paint will come of. Put nitric acid on them, it will turn them green. The man at the Florence hotel don't belong to the government, he is my partner.
 So you see how you have been fooled. Kick and holler if you want to, but it won't do you any, good. The police can't help yop; They children and people will say there was the old fool that bought a lot of brass for gold. Everyone says you are an old miser, and will laugh at you. So stand your loss, and no one this we will be 1000 miles away, and the police can't help you. SIMPLE THOMPSON.
 HE GIVES UP.
 Upon the receipt of this letter Mir. Dob- hi n q cave m all thoupht of having made n