The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-03-29
sEPOTHCHILpS'
CAREER
NE Vas swlsDLER or MARKED AslL,rY.
ST. Louis Republic.

daring crooks of the country.
Abe Rothschids- THAT is the mans
proper name, learned only by accident
and almost Mt tho close of his criminal
csreer.-has given the postal authorities
Of this country and especially tho Mis-
souri, division more trouble than any ten
men combined.
Tho first information the government
had concerning him came through the
complaints of n Chicago house. Tho
mails were used for a scheme 10 dcfraud
by party who was working FROM Macon
and kirksville. Mo. At Maooh this man
assumed the name Of Joseph Jaeger, and
ordered goods from c. NJ. Linington &
Co, at Chicago, to be shipped to Mober-
iy. In the letter ordering the goods this
man Jaeger stated tina; he WAS going to
open racket store at that p.aca, About
tho same time other ChicNeo houscs re-
ceived orders from kirSsylllo from
man who save his name Joseph Baum,
saying that Baum was going 10 open
racket store al Quincy. ~, and ordering
place. Tho Chicago houses receiving
these orders knew nothing personal OF
either OF these parties. but they con-
suited the commercial agencies. and rs
both were Wei rated the goods were
shipped on the credit of the parties In
whose name they were ordered. Tho
letter stamp bearing the name he had
! assumed thus throwing the merchants
on their guard The his railway strike
was on during the time this TRANSFERRED.
and there was some delay Ia the delivery
81 the goods. The party who cepresentod
himself as Jaeger weni 10 Mobcrly. and
learning that the goods could not come
through by freight. no consulted the OK.
press agent at Moberly who Informed
MN mat express goods would 40 through
all right. Jaeger then wired 10 Chicago
TO send the goods by express Ills In
qulries concerning tho goods made him
acquainted with the express people. and
ne thus established sufficient identity TO
nave the goods delivered to him when
they reached Mohcrly, Every effort TO
ma out since what had become of the
goods failed, aud Jaeger disappeared
l'hts was in July. 1894. Probably two
months later Postofilce inspector Erwin
OF the San f'raneisce. division was passing
through Chicago, and while stopping there
was Informed by Inspector Stewart of the
Chicago division OF u deal similar to that
which had caused l.inington & Co TO he
defrsuded. Indeed Inspector Stewart rua-
peeted that the Same party was In tho
game.
Inspector Erwin took nil the papers with
him went TO san Francisco and located
the man who had sent the orders. he
was taken into custody before he had re-
ccived any OF the goods which he had
ordered in the name OF Henry Smythe.
lnasmuch ne he had received no goods on
HIS fraudulent orders II was deemed best
TO send him back to this division for prose
cuton for tho Moberly offense of using
the malls with intent TO dctraud. Hts VITO
and child were with him In san Francisco.
ana arrangements were made to permit
them TO return at the same time he did In
fact, the government secured transporta-
tion for them to st, Louis They al start
ed back IN the custody of an inofienalve
and over.confident old gentleman named
Miller, who had no experience MS u deputy
marshal Postofhce Inspector Johnston of
this division had been informed OF the M.
rest Of Smythe. and the fact that he had
been transferred to this division for trial.
He heard nothing further of the case until
Miller called at tho st. Louis office with
Mrs Smythe md Baby Smythe, aud the
cHped Mt Little Rock, Ark Efforts were
made by tho local police and the United
States officers at Little Rock to obtain
some Glow OF the prisoner, but without
avail This was In November, 1884.
HE TURNS UP AGAIN.
Two weeks later Superintendent o. II.
Simpson OF the Wells-Fargo Express
company asked Postmaster Inspector
Johnson's assistance in case which
puzzled him, because he had no starting
point, aud as soon as he unfoided the
plan of operations of tho ctlprt he
nzcd the methods OF those of Henry
Smythe OF Moberiy fame Mr.. simpsons
case was that of a schcr1c worked AT
Tushltahomma, |. T., In the name OF one
Joseph Jackman, who was u prominent
businesg man there, and the description
of the party who operated there tailed
with the one the postoificca had hcre-'t
photograph that had come into their
hands through friend OF the man The
authorities captured about 500 worth OF
goods at Tushkahomma, whiGn this party
had ordered from merchants at Fort
Smith There were several ontiits OF
clothing for himself, valises. Ties by the
quality and a lot OF gentlomen's jowelry.
a diamond ring, etc, gnd also cloaks for
lis wife and little girl. which would iit
them out for u season. These supplies
were shipped to Them from Dallas. Texas.
by oxpress, and he disappeared from
there within q day.
Rothschilds' next piece OF work was NJ
Waelder, Texas, where he secured about
$iiOO worth OF diamonds, shipped to him
from parties nj Houston. BY that limo
he had conceived The notion thht " was
bulky goods, and they were certainly
much easier to dispose OF, He then went
TO Cotulla, Texas, where he orlerea CON
After securing the goods he went In
rig across the border into Mexico, paying
tho driver with a bogus check II he
operated In hia old line In Mexico he alone
IL the wiser for II. for there IL no record
OF any transactions there. lie was traced
through Mexico. and located At Tampico.
from which point ne wired frlSnas III inc
States for money. From there he went to
Havana, where he disposed OF all bis val
uahles and turned them INTO reany money.
II was thought from Information which
reached headquarters here that he would
20 10 South America. but he changed his
mind and came back 10 tho United states.
landing az Mobile. a few days later be
dropped into Swalnesboro. Ca whore he
cathared in about $500 worth of diamonds
which had been shipped from Atlanta.
Ca, and Cincinnati. Ohio. within two
DAYS he had disappeared from there Be-
fore tho third day came to close ne
turned i'm at Hopkinsville, KY, whore
about $500 in diamonds awaited him
IInpEinuytlie hp direct 10 NJ.
Louis arriving here March 10, 1885. He
wrote a noto al Mosers hotel. gave II 10
n messenger boy and sent for his wife.
Wife and child met him on the street, and
without returning TO the boarding house.
Yhev took the Vandalia train at o'clock
to Indianapolis. In leaving here the wife
boarded the train alone. and Rothschiids