The San Francisco call., 1896-04-26

United States to the other, oper.
ating under half dozen or more aliases
| and from as many different points. His
scheme was to secure stamps on approval
from dealer or collector in one place and
then dispose of them to a dealer in another,
or by means of advertisements in philatelic
publications. So far as has been learned
he followed this predacious course as the
sole means of securing a livelihood.
The attention of Herbert P. Thrall,
United States Postofice Inspector, was
first called to the doings of Wooge by the
receipt of com plants from various people
in the East stating that Frank Wooge and
Frank Kenig had obtained stamps from
them under false representations and had
failed to pay for them. An investigation
resulted in learning that the same person
was using both these names and was oper-
ating from Crook County, Or, near
place called Sisters. There was not suffi-
cient evidence, however, to warrant an ar
rest and Wooge was allowed to continue at
work, though a strict surveillance was
kept on him.
Eventually he began to carry out his
swindling designs on some of the Califor-
mia dealers. Among others from whom he
secured consignments We're W. Sellschopp
u
of Los Angeles. These provided the ne
| cessary evidence near at home, and on
| February 26 Inspector Thrall caused
| Wooge's arrest at Etna Mills, Siskiyou
| County, California.
| Correspondence and other documentary
| evidence was secured at the same time
| showing that he had operated under the
| aliases of George w. Zimmerman, Frank
Kenig, Frank Wooge, Frank Grimmel
| w. Rothfuchs, w. II. Faber and G. I. Car
penter, and from Sisters, Silver Lake.
Summer Lake, Paisley, Plush, Lakeview,
| Bly,, Yainax, Fort klamath, Klamath
Agency, klamath Falls and Keno. Ore
| gon, and Fort Bidwell, Cedarville, Willow
| Ranch, Ager, Yreka, Fort Jones, Scott
River, Sawyers Bar, Callahan and Etna
| Mills, California.
| In order to secure approval lots from
| those to whom he wrote Wooge gave the
names of supposed responsible people as
reference, such as bank presidents, mem
bers of prominent firms city officials etc.
In some cases these were purely fictitious,
and in the others the people had no
knowledge whatever of Wooge. He also
| represented himself sometimes as a person
OF some prominence, such as sheriff, and
a minister OF the gospel, his expectation
being that neither his references nor his
own standing would be investigated.
He has good knowledge of the most de-
sirable class of stamps evidently, for his
requests were generally Tor those which
always find ready market, such as un-
used United States Colum bian issue or un-
used stamps of Great Britain and the var
ious British colonies. What largely aided
10 make his efforts successful was the use
of such names as Konig, Rothfuchs, Zim-
norman, ETC., all well-known philatelists
OF high standing in philatelic circles.
In one case he corresponded with we'll
known st. Louis firm under all his differ
ent aliases, and though there was no at
tempt to disguise the handwriting the i'm
position, owing to the large volume of this
hrm's business correspondence, was not
discovered until the firm s attention was
called to the matter by a communication
from Inspector Thrall
Wooge's operations were extremely bold
In his stupid way. He had sent lot of
stamps to E. F. Gambs of this City which
ne desired to sell. The matter slipped
Mr.. Gambs. attention, and he had his
memory refreshed by communication
from Wooge, under his assumed name. to
which was added the title of deputv
snerlIf, threatening to prosecute if the
stamps were not at once paid for or re-
turned. They were paid for.
~, Wooge is about 33 or "a years of ace
The evidence against him is Claimed to he
conclusive, as 1T is both of circuusran-
tiai and documentary Character. The
feaefai statutes provide as a punishment
Ior the crime of which he is said to be
guilty a maximum fine of $500 and a maxi
mum imprisonment of eighteen months.