New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-21
VICTIMS or 4 PETTY SCHEME.
MANY ORDERS OF GOODS SENT TO MIR.
THOMAs'S HOUSE BY A sWINDLER

\ clever swindng scheme, remarkable for its
slender results as compared with the vast amount
OF work cdCsel. checked by the Brooklyn police
yesterday after s-vcra. weeks Of detective work
For over a month the home OF Mr. and Mrs. W. ID
Thomas. OF NO 81 Deca,ur-st. has been bcsieged
daily By delivery wagons from all kinds Of business
establishments. all carrying loads of wares appar-
eriy in Response to orders placed AZ H. r Offices
Tho unbi oxen procession was tho subject OF mu"h
comment By people In the neIghborhood. and OF sti
grcnter annoyance to Mr. ami Mrs. Thomas who
neither purchased the goods themselves nor author
tied any other person TO do So
They at first concluded that some practical Joker
had selected them his victims. but after a week
had passed and every day brought dozen or more
callers with their varied burdens. Mrs. Thomas
decided that something more serious than a joke
was being carried on Butchers. bakers. clnllesiick-
makers. hshmongers taiors. carpenters. furniture
dealers. coal men. and Chinese laundrymen
and undertakers presented themselves at her door
with loads OF goods to take orders which had
been eft with them. About three times week
coal wagons would drive up. and In one case the
driver and his assistant dumped the load on the
sidewalk In front OF the house before learning that
the article was not desired In this case IT Is need-
less to say that the young wlfes Indignation WAS
fully shared by the driver
one day a Chnaman called at the house. and told
Mrs Thomas that there IA bundle there for him.
She said he mistaken. but he knew more about
IL than she did and camped on the doorstep for
couple OF hours muterng all sorts OF things to HIM
SET before he was satisfied that he had done his
duty. Another caller was undertaken who was
thoroughly convinced that the house contained
dead body which needed his attention. Mrs. Thomas
demonstrated TO him In no uncertain manner that
Oh. WAS very much alive and forced him to believe
much AGAINST his will that there was no job for
him there Furniture sufficient to equip a good-sized
hotel and food enough for the same purpose. and
several carloads OF household utensils were drawn
nm I'm front OF the quie, little home at one time or
another until finally the good housewife lost all
patience.
A visit was made TO Police Headquarters, and
q number of the stores which had sent their goods
IN rho house were called upon. Several of the pro-
pr,ctors of the stores said that they had received
Visits from a shabby dressed man. who had Or
d-red the goods to be to Mr.. Thomas's house
A general alarm sent out for the arrest OF the
mischief maker
exclaimed the detectives captured yesterday morn
ing "a man who has confessed that he caused all the
trouble He is Roderick Mcneil. forty years
old carpenter, who lives with his family at No.
l.7Oi Broadway. When he was arrested by PONCE
men Burns and O'Neill he had In his pockets fully
one hundred cards of different business men.
Mcneil confessed. but contended that he had
been drinking and did not know what he was about
He said that there was no Ear as rsaSon why
ccpt that he had got that address In his mead ana
the number was IA handy as any other.
A conference among the dealers whom the man
had duped brought ont the fact that after placing
his order he had In each case said that he left home
without any change In his pocket for carfares, and
requested d small loan to aid him In getting home.
lie rarely failed to collect few cents In this
manner but In did he receive more than
% cents /, Is probable that he made so or sio by
a number OF complaints were entered against him:
nrragned or charges of vagrancy lie was sent to
Jail, pending future arraignment