The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-14

wilson CAUGHT AGAIN
The Old Green Goods Oper-
ator Discovered Opera
ting in This City.
POLICE HAVE 10 LET HIM 60
he Carried on SwindIing Opera
lions While a Prisoner in
the County Jail.
POLICE HAVE 10 LET HIM GO

"A would-be green goods" operator and
swindler of jays. who recently spent a
year in the county jail at the expense Of
the county, not by any wish of his own,
was a prisoner at Police Headquarters
for a short time Saturday night. He was
released by Chief Murphy who believed
It would be useless to prosecute him.
The gentleman given his freedom was
flames 6. Wilson alias Hammond. Wilson
made his first appearance in this city in
October, 1895. In appearance he was a
Jay of the ripeet kind, and is today.
Chief Murphy says he looks more like
a sscome-on'' thar one qualified to make
THE easiest kind of a mark, separate him
self from his money for sawdust or a
brick" Wilson had onfy been in town a
short time when the Chief began to re-
ceive letters from men in country places
in New York and Pennsylvania in which
were enclosed green goods circulars In
each instance the recipients of the circu-
lars were directed, If they cared to make
money quickly and easily" to
cate with James G. Wilson, Pavonla ave
nue. and Barnum street, Jersey CITY. VIII
sons circulars were a little on the
run. He did not offer $1,000 queer" mon
ey for $500 good money, aS IS customary,
Dull ADOPTED The pan Oh SAplo4d4li6 tiidb
he had only started in business and as a
consequence could only deal in small sums.
For 81 he offered a $40 bill of his own
make which was as good, he SAID, as the
genuine in every particular except that
it bore a duplicate number Of some note
in circulation
Just how many ssi1onest" countrynen
wanted to see n of his $40 bills Cnler
Murphy could not learn, but there We're q
great many apparently as Wilson received
on an average seyenty-dve letters a Gay
until interrupted by the police
On November 2 Detectives Doyle ana
Dalton who had been assigned to the case
arrested Wilson as he was collecting his
mail at the Post Office. He was tried,
convicted and sentenced TO the county
Jail. While in the Jail Wilson startled
the police and county officials by running
operations of a crooked character.
1t was at first reported that he had con-
verted his cell into a green goods head
quarters. Subsequently that proved TO
be untrue. In some way to the
5ail officials Wilson smuggled out an adj
yertisemens for several New York news
papers. In ii he said he would give valu-
able information to anyone applying as
to how to make money with startling rap
idity. His advertisement requested that
all communication be sent to NO. 90
Newark avenue, which is the county JAIL
For a week letter carriers were kept busy
delivering mail to Wilson. The keepers
became suspicious and reported the case
to Sheriff Toffey. He consulted with JUS
TlcS 1lDDlUCOLL duQ WdS 1lItOlA1CQs II q
reported at the time, that he had no right
to intercept the mail of the prisoner.
Postmaster Jordan held up some OF
Wilson's mail until advised by United
States Commissions Romano he had no
r ght to do so. In some manner which
was never clearly explained, 1T was learned
that when persons Wilson'S adj
vertssement he wrote them to the effect
that his information on easy money
making would be forwarded on receipt
Of 81. A small army of people, it appeared,
wanted that secret and wilson's mail be-
came heavier by the day. SO did his re-
ceipts. Just before he was released 1t was
ascertafned that his secret consisted OF
advice to buzz goods at cheap stores, open
chases at Vance prices. When he left
the Jail he was "Well fixed financially.
He took with him the best wishes of his
keepers and higher officials who admired
him for his cheek in converting the Jail
into a headquarters for such a question:
able business enterprise.
A few days ago Postmaster Jordan be-
gan to receive letters of inquiry concern
ing a man named A. Hammond of this
city. The writers were all Westerners.
Suspecting that someone was working the
old green goods game, Mr.. Jordan noti-
fGd the posace. Detectives Doyle and Dali
ton were instructed to find out who A.
Hammond was and his business. Satur-
Gay night Hammond called at the POST
Office for his mail. which consisted of
about rs letters. While receiving it the
detectives happened IN, and to their sur
ltttSctlIteIt SGOtQ l1tT plQ lTleilU w tlSDI.
He was taken to Police Headquarters.
where he explained that he had advertised
in several Western papers tina he was
prepared to furnish information on how
to make money for a consideration. The
Chief concluded that the mails were not
being used for Illegal purposes and re-
leased the prisoner. He says he would
probably nave detained him were it pos
sible to get a victim to make a complaint.
# was not thought likely by the Chief
tina any man would journey East to
prosecute Wilson or Hammond.
Wilson is a Yankee and spent many
Years at sea with his father, who was a
whaler hailing from New Bedford. firing
of sea life he became a "land lubber." He
had been on shore about two months when
he was robbed of nearly all he possessed
by a sgreen goods man. He concluded.
ne told Chief Murphy, to swindle others,
and since that time has been trying his
hand, frequently making a success of it.
He was arrested in S~prinfield and SEN
fenced to one years Imprisonment. In
Boston he was robbed again, but he beat
MS prosecutors on that occasion. Re-
moving to this city he again encountered
hard luck. He says he will continue in
crooked business, but insists that he
VIII not get into any more trouble as he
knows enough about law to not make
himself liable. The Chief advised him to
confine his operations to some city or
town outside of New Jersey. He did not
promise he would ov-rIoipinr hhof Ta-eaxv