Birmingham state herald., 1897-07-03
A sFRAUDULENT SCHEME Being Practiced Two Miles From
 Montgomery ONWASHlNGToN FERRY ROAD Twd Whites and One Black Located There as M Representatives of President < Mckinley.
MoiItgomery Journal.

Montgomery Journal
 About two miles from the city out on washlngton Ferry road there is little "hut'f situated some distarce from the road proper The hut is somewhat ancient in its build and has inmates in the ipersonages of a white man, a white woman and a negro who are "coining the money" so to speak.
 Notwithstanding these people have been there about two weeks, or probably longer, their sheme of fraud has never as yet been interfered with by officials. In the meantime these three characters of fraud personified are duping negroes going and coming" and not only is their fieecy work ,practiced on negroes in the immediate vicinity and from this city, but has caught good many from Lowndes county.
 The negroes, however, refuse to be- lieVe 1t is a fraud and seem to encour- age, the work by informing their fellow citizens of the place and its purpose. And thus the scheme works. That fraud is practiced in this way:
 These people cozely enscounced in that cottage claim to be "right-hand bowers of President Mckinley, sent there to register all negroes for the purpose of securing pensions for them. The negroes, 10th to believe the "song and dance," file into the place hourly in droves to reg ister' for which they are charged 9 cents. The victims, not at all reluctant in part ing from the "two-hits,' are told that on certain day Mckinley will apepar at some stated place and present them with a pension accordingly. Notwithstanding the. negroes are being caught" for the amount they contribute to the swindlers other darkies are being rapidly induced in good faith to visit the house and have hopes of receiving reward. They re- fuse, it is said, to listen to white people who have advised them to stay away from the place which is getting their hard-earned money and are assured of getting no return whatever.
 Only a short time since there congre- gated near the Coun, Square basin in this city a gang of Hams sons who had paid their little quarter-dollar and received nothing more than the joyful tidings that President Mckinley would be here onSthat day to compensate them for cheir slavery work. They waited and watched the passing throng in all anxiety, but alas! and did he come?
 This same fraud is being practiced else- where, particularly in certain sections of Georgia where, according to the Consti- tu;ion, 1t is alleged that the representa- tives of His Majesty CD charge one dol lar to register the poor negroes. And they are equally glad and hopeful of re- ceiving the promised pension.
 During the past few days an effort has been made to fird out the names of those practiclng such daring fraud right here almost under the cover of ehe government building and right in the pathway of the United States marshals and deputies, but if their names have ever been learned ys,any individual 1t Is yet to be made public.
 MT. c. P. Rogers. of Letohatchie. was m the city yes. erday, and made inquiry at the sherins office as to whether there was any possible chance to capture the frauds, sta ting that there were a number or negroes in his section who were daily visiting the place and being swindled out of hard-earned money by the false pre- tenSions of these would-be representa- tives of Mckinley. It is statsd the three are poorly clad, go barefooted and that the white couple who have seemingly passed the zenith of life, can't write. but have employed their color=d co-partner to register for those negroes who can't write their names.
 It is said the matter has been reported z to the United States marshal, who will very likely look into it.