Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-18
GREEN GOODS SWINDLERS
Seductive Circulars Sent Under Seal of Conf.
dence From New York.
Correspondence by Telegraph Only
Solicited-Local Police Can Only
Give Advfce-Base Fraud.

During recent weeks several persons have
called upon the police In this city and in
Quired about the meaning of certain circu-
lars received by them. In each case the
envelope contained the New York post
mark, and the police were able at glance
10 see that the documents had been sent by
green goods" men. These people pretend
they will furnish counterfeit money as good
as the genuine. In each instance the circu-
lar begins:
Your name was sent me by my son (wno
Is my travelling representative as a
shrewd, reliable and trustworthy man for
ne to cooperate with in your vicinity, and
therefore take the liberty of proposing a
scheme to you that ninety-nine out of a
hundred up-to-date men would gladly grasp
II they could personally examine my work,
thereby convincing themselves of the abso-
lutte safety Of my Offer
In order to gain confidence the intended
victim Is then addressed in this way:
An expert Engraver."
1.-The writer is an expert engraver. hav-
ing for twenty-five years been employed in
the bureau of engraving, Washington, d.
c.. and for twelve years was superintendent
of one Of the largest bank note companies
In the country. During my leisure 1 took
up as side issue the duplication of ones,
hve's and tens, and as these were the
original denominations 1 had worked upon
you can believe me when l say they are
perfect.
Now, my dear sir 1 am fully aware of
the suspicion and prejudice that you nat
urally will entertain for my proposition, as
you will. on first thought, class it as COM
Ing from a green goods or sawdust swim
dler, but If you will lay aside that preju-
cice, apply common sense and look at my
proposition from a business standpoint
compare it with the methods of these petty
swindlers and you will credit me with not
being fool enough to waste my time ad-
dressing man of your intelligence and
standing In the community.
The methods of the so-called green
goods swindlers have been exposed from
lie to time in the daily press. They send
out seductive circular letters to ignorant
farmers, with a fake newspaper clipping
Praising counterfeit money and Offering to
sell That which they have not, inducing
them to send on their hard-earned money
and sending them a box of sawdust or
some such In return
Aluring Scheme.
After 1enuncation of the ordinary
methods which the sender Of these circu-
lars characterizes as ridiculous, the person
addressed is asked to compare the meth
DDS, and the circular concludes:
AN investment of $500 will give you an
immediate return that lifetime of toll in
your present business would not do, this
without injurinS friends, neighbors or your
1eliow-man To convince you OF the safety
of the business, I will. upon receipt of tel
egram-as per Enclosed note-send you
sample of my work, and / will also appoint
place to meet you. so that you can per-
sonaily examine my entire stock
IF for any reason you decide not to CO.
operate with me. l trust. as an honorable
man, you Will honor the protection that the
word confde ntiar insures to all commune
ha han Loco
stroy my lifes work. Kindly burn this
ana let the matter drop. Trusting how
ever. to hear from you Immediately 1 re-
MAN, confidentially yours,
oldest Steel Plate Engraver in the II g
S.-For obvious reasons, 1 have
omitted all names from this letter."
correspondents are informed that all an
swers must be by kilograms and not by
mail.
Victims From the South.
While number of persons living here I'm
washington have received these circulars.
the police know Of no one who has been
foolish enough to enter into the scheme
and give his money to the swindlers Dur
lrg the past few years, however many
victims from the south who had been to
new YORK stopped here on their way home
ana mad to be assisted in the matter of
railroad fare. Several Of these victims
were white. while others were colored. In
almost every instance the victim had been
warned by the swindlers not to oren the
satcnei OF green goods" until his home
was reached, but it seemed difficult mat
ter Tor any of them to pass this city with
out satisfying their curiosity
one victim was a colored preacher from
Alabama, who apparently did not recog-
ME the nature of the swindle, and his
statement was that he had hoped to build
new church upon his return home. AS
the headquarters of the swindlers is not in
this city. the local police are powerless In
the matter, except to give advice