The sun., 1897-11-27
BOUGHT GOLD DUST CHEAP.
BERNSTEIN OF OLFTELAND BUN-
COED OUT OF $4,000 HERE.

Found That HI. Cheap Goia was Brass when
he Came to Test H-Tnkcn In bS Teie OF
Siberian Geld Naipce-Arrest or = Tewnsmnn
or his-warrAnts for Three New Workers.
Private Detective soligsohn of Cleveland,
o.. arrived here yesterday with warrants for
the arrest Of two men alleged to have swindled
Marx Bernstein, q wealthy wholesale liquor
dcealer Of Cleveland, out OF $4,000 with
new aoddust game. Sam Jacobs, Cleveland
saloon Keeper, Is under arrest In that CITY
charged with being tho go.bctwcon Tor tho
swindlors. The two men wanted arc SAID 10
he j. Babn and j. Burns. also known as Old
Sol and Hrsch. Detective Seligsohn called on
capt McClusky at Police Headquarters ana
explained his mission, but rs Capt. McClusky
had no official notification from the Chiof OF
fohco In Cleveland, ha said he could do moth
Ing. He said he knew nothing about the al
legged swindle, which is supposed to have taken
place in a room hired by Bernstein in the Broad.
way Central Hotel. scllGsohn thinks he has
located his men in this city. and he started for
Albany yesterday to get extrndition papers.
bernstein, with the four men who he says
swihdied him, registered at the Broadway Cen
tral on Nov. Is. The alleged swindlers regis
tered ms 3. Jacobs, 8. Cohr, J. Bnbin, and J.
Burns. They occupied suite OF rooms and
were around tho hotel for TIVE days. All were
registered from Cleveland. Dernstein's story Is
That Jacobs, VINO Is a customer OF his in Cleve.
iand introduced the three men to him. Jacobs
said the men were miners who had just got
back from the gold mines of eastern Siberia.
Thoy told wonderful tules about the riches OF
tho mines. and said that although they had
becn up there only short time, they had
cumulated enough gold to come TO America
and live for while They said they intended
10 start in business here, but found that it
would take them several years to acquaint
themselves with the language and customs of
the country before they could hope to be sue
cesstuL Thoy were Hebrews, and pretended
Jacobs acted as interpreter. Bernstein says
ne became Interested in their stories. especially
gold dust thoy had on baud at a bargain, 80 as
IF bsrns,elq s L. tSld that they s had s; the
ness man himself, and with his brother runs q
Jewish theatre in the Sixteenth ward in Clcve.
boss there, controlling the Jewish vote in eight
wards: At one time he is a Democrat and at an.
and four Of the wards controlled by him went
Republican and the other four gave the Demo
Marx Bernstein decided to negotiate with the
alleged siberian miners for the purchase of
their gold dust Accordingly he and Jacobs
falo for a time and then came to this city and
put up at the broadway Central The three al
ickeu were registered by bernstein
hey said they could not write. Then they went
| out and brought back sample OF their alleged
gold dust. bernstein took the sample to
| jewellers and had 1t assaved. The jeweller
said 1t was very fine gold dust and worth 81 .25
an ounce. Tho men said they had sixty. seven
pounds of the dust, and although this was
worth nearly $15.NO they were willing to let
bernstein have It for $l2 900. He thought ii
was Just picking up S8, 600 and the bargain was
The alleged miners took him to a house some.
where In Houston street and there they found a
Shabby-lookng Hebrew with long black hair
He had the alleged gold dust in his care Bern.
stein suggested that 1t be taken to his room in
the hotel. and the "mincrs' packed up their
bags of dust and bernstein hired pair OF water
balances. He asked II the gold dust was the
same as the sample that had been shown him
ana Tor answer they opened the bags and
just ike the sample. He then weighed it and
found that there WAS just sixty seven pounds
OF 1t. He pacEod II in his valite and paid over
tho Sl2,00O. after which the three alleged
miners disappeared. bernstein returned homo
to Cleveland with Jacobs. who was to receive a
commission from him.
Al. When they REACHED Cleveland Bernstoin took
to be melted into bars In few days he WAS
called In by the assayer and told that he had
been buncoed-''Hod dusted," as il were; and
that when gold dust is cheap it isn't gold dust
lie then went to a police court and swore out
warrants for two of the three mon he had been
aeaiinR with; Detective Seligsohn is expected
back from Albany to-day.
Dispatches from Cleveland say tho dust
bernstein bought wss made of brass filings and
yellow snnd-a combination the light weight of
which should have betrayed it to any ono who
had ever handled an ounce of gold dust.