The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1896-02-19
new GOLD BRICK IDEA.
A NEAT SWINDLE WORKED UPON
A CONFIDING BRITON.


The story of the latest improvement
In the old gold brick game comes from
London and is told in TruS1 of that
town in a recent issue. 1t cost one Eng
lishman Sc, 600 and may have cost 9th
ers as much. Truth doesn tell the
name Of the victim, but calls him Mr..
X. Some time after Mr.. Y. died letter
was received in England addressed to
him. 1t was dated San Francisco and
was signed Spencer. +" The letter was
apparently written by some one who
had been in correspondence with the
man to whom it was addressed, and it
was report of alleged operations to get
possession of a mysterious treasure
about which Mr.. Y. knew. The writer
said that success had crowned the efforts
of himself and friends, and that Mr..
Y. s share Of the profit was $3.50, 900.
This share was to be sent to London in
raw state, because Spencer wouldn t
allow it TO be disposed Of in America.
The letter asked how Mr.. Y. would adj
wise having his share disposed of. The
letter reached Mr.. x, the executor of
the estate of Mr.. Y. Truth continues
the story as follows:
''Mr. x. thought it worth attention.
and wrote to Mr.. Spencer informing
him that the gentleman to whom he
had written was dead and inviting fur
Their Information about tie enterprise.
In due course an answer came back
from Mr.. Spencer, full Of regrets that
his dear old friend should have died
just when the fruits of his venture were
on the point of being gathered. In no
bic spirit OF generosity Mr. Spencer ex-
pressed the desire Of himself and his
partners that the dear old friends share
IN the profits should be paid over to his
estate, provided that the executors
would carry the matter through. For
this purpose a meeting in New York
was suggested. Again feeling that he
w0uld not be justified in dropping the
matter, Mr.. x accepted the proposal and
arranged to meet his correspondent in
New York.
TO New York he went accordingly.
and there met Mr.. Spencer and his
friends. They expressed surprise at find
ing him so young man, and on this
ground betrayed reluctance to 90 fur
fher with the business Mr.. x. how
ever, succeeded in overcoming their scru-
pies, and they produced the first sample
OF the acknowledgement native gold
IN large nuggets. Mr.. X. was to have ev
cry opportunity of testing the value of
the stuff for himself. For this purpose
two nuggets, weighing about 600 ounces
each, We're brought to him at his hotel
He was invited to drill them, and did
SO with center bit The dust drilled
out was collected on a sheet of parer
and taken possession of by Mr.. x. for
further tests. He fused it himself into
lump and took it to jeweler, who at
once pronounced it to be pure gold, and
offered to buy it as such.
Having thus satisfied himself, Mr..
X, met his friends again and told them
he was ready to complete the transac-
ton. After oomplimenting him on the
businesslike way in which he had acted,
they told him that there was great
deal more of the stuff to be taken to
England and it would be necessary for
him to make four journeys for the pur-
pose, but that he could now start with
the first two nuggets on payment of the
thousand ponds. The reader will OBJ
serve that not until this point is there
the slightest indication as to what the
proceedings were all tending to.
MIR. x. expressed surprise at the men
ton of the thousand pounds, and his
friends, on their side, were surprised at
his surprise. The payment of 81, 600
had been clearly agreed to in the CORE
spondence with the deceased. Surely
Mr.. X. had seen references to it in look
ing through his testator's correspond
ence! At an earlier period possibly Mr.
4. might have SHE'D at the suggestion
that he was to buy gold with gold, but,
having thoroughly satisfied himself of
the genuineness of the treasure. it seem
ed to him foolishness to raise any diff
Guilty over mere matter of detail. He
cabled to England accordingly for the
81, 600, and, on its arrival, paid it over
to Mr.. Spencer in. exchange for the two
nuggets, with which he departed for
England
1t will not surprise the intelligent
reader to hear that when he got home
and came to have the precious metal as
eayed it proved to be worthless, being
composed, it is said, of iron pyrites
slightly gilded and compressed by hy-
draullc pressure in order to give the
right weight for bulk. The total cost
Of these two precious nuggets to Mr.. X,
including his expenses ont of pocket
was about 81 300. No doubt he has also