The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-05
GREEN GOODS UP TO DATE.
THE LATEST MI THODs ADOPTED M
THE sHREWD SWINDLERS.

81 want to zee Chief Hazen privately, SAD
well-dressed man who walked Into the ounce
OF the secret service bureau OF tho treasury
Department a fow days ago. He acted as nc
had something heavy and important on ms
mind. He was directed to tho office oil Chiet
Hazen and found that official at his desk. inc
man repeated his request for n strictly private
interview. Chief Hazen's clerk withdrew and
the door was fastened.
''In there any danger OF an intrusionf' tho
man asked.
Certainly not"
well. I have something to show you" began
the visitor, his face coloring. He reached into
an inner coat pocket and produced aletter.
Without opening the letter Chief HAGEN said:
Yes, i sec. It's a green goods circular
How did you known" the visitor asked with
some alarm.
'Oh. I've seer hundreds Of them" was the
response.
The visitor then began to apologize for having
1t In his possession, saying he could not con
ceive how a respectable business man of Wash
ington, like himself. could be picked out as dis
honest enough TO engage In the green goods
business.
Its no reflection on your honesty" said
Chief Hazen, TO the great relief Of the visitor.
Thousands Of those circulars arc sent to hon.
est men throughout this country. Right now
they are being sent In every direction. About
one man in every ten Is dishonest and nibblcs.
He may go no further. About ono in twenty is
not only dishonest, but n sucker In modern
parlance, and is sold. The green goods man no
longer confines his business 10 countrymen, but
plies it in oil tho big cities. lie finds plenty of
material to work on right hero in tho city of
Washington. Hundreds Of men who receive
those circulars say nothing about the matter,
because they fear somebody will accuse them Of
being In u receptive mood for such enterprises"
The would. BIO victim of the New York
swlndler was satisfied and went away. A re-
porter talked to Chief Hazcn about the green
goods business.
II receive letters every day" said Chief
Hazen, from all parts of the country inclosing
circulars of the green goods fraternity. These
circulars aro sent me by men who have re-
coived them. and who think that my office may
run down the rascals or start an investigation.
Tho circulars are worded SO nicely as to give
the impression that the Government is being
dofrauded by clever counterfeit money. As
a matter Of fact the green goods man
never deals in counterfeit money. All the
money he shows and uses is genuine. He
runs too many risks without having the secret
service On his track. We, OF course, do nothing
with the circulars sent u.s."
The secret service deals only with counter.
fcitcrs. The Government official who occa-
sionally goes for the green goods man is the
Post Office inspector. lie can arrest the swim
dler for using the mails. State authorities
also handle them when they can find them.
New York CITY is. Of course. the head centre
Of the fraternity which deals in green goods, as
tho work is known. Up to II few years ago the
swindlcrs did their business almost wholly
through the mails. They use the mails now to
companies arc dealt with. and tho swindlcr Is
careful totell his would-hc victims not to write
receive it. The Whole business must be trans.
nctet by wire. Several years ago the Post
Office inspectors began to use dccoy letters to
the profession with q dec9y letter in his pos
session was primo iacio evidSnce against him,
break up the business in that State a few years
ago by passing a bill Ireventing telegraph com
panies sending cipher messages to persons OF q
suspicious character. Tho companies fought
the bill and it did not, pass;
to secure names of people in every part Of the
country. This he does just like patent medicine
to these persons a Carefully worded t. ritten
document like the following:
"ConHdentfaL.
BY my son who is my travelling representative
rs a hhrewd, reliable, and trustworthy man for
therefore take the liberty OF making you a prop.
osit!on that nincty-ninc out OF . hundred .upto.
date mon would gladly grasp II they could per.
themselves of The absolute safety of my offer.
The writer Is an expert engrayoE, having for
twenty-five years been employed in tho Burean
of Engraving, Washington. D.. g., and FOR
twelve years was snperintcndcnt Of one OF the
During my leis.ro l took up as a side issue the
duplication OF ones, ivcs, aud tens, and AS these
were the original denominations ! had worked
upon you can believe me when | say they are
perfect duplicates.
Now. my dear sir, l am fully aware of the
entertain Tor my proposition, rs you viii on
arst thought class Il ~ coming from a green
aside that prejudice. apply common sense. end
look at my proposition, from = business stand
point: compare IT with The mc:h2ds Of these pet.
being fool enough 70 wnste my time addressing
a man Of your intelligence and standing in the
The methods of the so-called green goods
swindlers have been exposed from time to time
circular letters, to ignorant farmers, with news.
paper clipping In regard to counterfeit money
S %S,i la' os p iSo nIiinio 'n nGd o are inc p pa ssi
that which they have not, inducing them to
send on their hard'carnea money and sending
item n vRlise or sawdGst or u brick or some
such article, in return.
The reason these rascals find it profitable
TO work this game Is because they know, and
they ,ekoit Tor granted that tho people In
general know that there arc hundreds OF thous.
a. men have no moral srrnpics apntne. in.
creasinS the money circulation lin fact tho
majority wf Fl T ,n , are cliff IT, ! tS SsGF Of ors doing : II , by
present silver agitation. they are nhnccd 10
send on their mOnCT on The very liberal forms
held out TO th"n-nyD cents buying n dollar or
some such absurd price.
y intelligent man would do It. for their
very proposition j. ridiculous, NOT alone tho
buying OF = piE in a bag but q man has only
TO stop ard consider IN" cost OF engraving.
prcfsog. printing, PAPER. &c. TO sec the absurdi'
~ Of tho offer.
Now, compare these methods with my Iropo-
eition. Firstly. ! aIa not addressing an ignorant
farmer. Secondly, ] do not want you TO send
mo onr cent. What ! want to know is whether
you will be willing TO CO operate with me in the
S Sna bayo @f myi FSS %%Sti p ISeE mT work } pf rs ali to 7
claim for 1t. that it cannot DO told from tho
genuine, even by expert, Understand, | do
not want you to invest ono dollar until you
have. examined my cn.irn stock from one TO
one. hundred thousand dollars, compare them
with the genuine. and, In fact, submit them
to any test you SOC H.. Then, after you AFRO
thoroughly satisfied On every point, you can
decide whether you accept my proposition or
not. The fact Is. Ar investment Of $500 will
give you an immediate return that q lifetime
OF tol IN your present business would NOT do,
this without inturing f.iends. ncigL bora, or your
fellow non. To convince YOU % The .afeiy OF
the business, ! will. upon receipt Of telegram
| a = nan 't al ~ In-.nnl M IA IL ap,. a. tA,.