Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-20
SEEDS AND PREMtU MS
ANEW ENTERPRISE ARRESTED ny
A PosT-oFFicr INSPECTOR.
CHlRGES OF FRAUD DISMISSED.
An Attractive Advertisement Gets
Two Young Men Into serious DIM
ruIties-Cnse Before United states
commissioners FIcGcnhcimcr.

Messrs. p. p. Humphrey and c. G.
Jones, said 90 be partners in the Virginia
seed Bureau, lately established in this
..y. wcro arrested yesterday by United
states Deputy-Nlarshu Benedict upon a
warrant sworn out by Post-Ofice Inspec-
Tor II. Gregory, charging them with
using the malls for fraudulent purposes
The prisoners were arraigned before
commissioner Flegenheimer in the after
noon, and, after a hearing. lasting for
nearly 1--WE hours. the Commissioner ruled
that though there were many suspicious
circumstances. the charge had not been
sustained, and the case was dismissed.
Much interest was manifested in the
case, and tho testimony was closely fol-
lowed by large and interested audi
eraa t-District-Attorney Well
ford conducted the prosecution, and Mr..
E5Eor Allan defended. At the outset
ar Allan moved TO quash the warrant
on the ground that it was not drawn in
conformity with the statute. The point
WIS conceded, and the warrant was then
amended and accepted.
THE INSPECTOR TESTTFTES.
Inspector Gregory was the first witness.
j. had been sent from Washington to
investigate the methods OF the firm.
which had been doing business here
since the LIST instant. Circulars had been
issued. and advertisements widely dis
minated. He had visited the Office Of
the bureau IN the Merchants National
Bank Building. Humphrey and Jones
were both I'm the Office at the time he
called, and Mr.. Jones was taking stamps
out OF letters. Two young ladies were
also In the Office wrapping pictures, and
boy was at work on a typewriter.
There were two boxes Of seed in the
office, piles of letters, and some adver-
Using cuts. Mr.. Humphrey had stated
that the nrm did a considerable amount
of Advertising through the Old Dominion
Advertising Company, conducted by Mr..
Jones' Hitherto the advertising had been
done principally In Pennsylvania, New
York, OHIO. North Carolina. and in Mary
land. Copies Of several papers were in
T0duced containing the firms advertise
m,nL
A P'UzZLE CONTEST.
This is headed "A $500 Puzzle" and
contains the offer OF seven beautiful
pictures FREQ to any one" who can make
vertisement. The published price of these
pictures IS quoted at $l.05 and a further
condition follows, that 81 cents in stamps
shall be sent to the company, and the
pictures will be mailed, together with an
immense variety of the choicest and
most beautiful flower seeds" The follow
ing prizes are offered for prompt replies
TO the advertisement: ''The person
sending, as above, whose envelope bears
the earliest pOstmark, will be given a
N25 diamond ring; to the second $50 Co
lumbia bicycle; to third, $50 Standard
bicycle; TO fourth. $l5. and to the next
seven will be given s. I'm gold"
This latter part of the advertisement
has now been discontinued.
The Inspector went on TO state that Mr..
Humphrey had informed him that the
prizes had not been awarded. No record
was kept of the order I'm which letters
were received, but the firm proposed to
make the awards by referring TO the en-
velopes The prizes were not in stock,
but the firm had part Of the money to
buy them. The same parties were also
advertising the pictures under the name
Of the Virginia Art Company.
Humphrey Rad stated further that he
bought his flower seed in Boston and
Chicago. though some had been pur-
chased from Messrs. r. w. Wood & Sons,
Of this city. The stamps received in
answer TO the advertisements were sold
by the firm.
RECEIVED MANY LETTERS.
About 5000 letters had been received.
Suspicion had been aroused in the Rich
moud post-office by the very large mail
received. and the matter had been re-
rorted by AIr. CulHngworth to Washing
ton. who also complained that the firm
WAS selling large quantities Of stamps at
& discount. NO complaints had been
made against the firm from any other
source.
Mr.. II. W. Wood, Of the firm Of 7. w.
Wood a Sons. seedsmen, was introduced
hv the government as an expert lie
opened a package Of the seeds sent OUT
bv the Virginia Seed Bureau, and AFTER
examination, said ii was q mixture Oh
tower seed. but of such varieties that
sOwn In the same bed they "ouiu NC
practically valueless.
WHERE STAMPS WERE SOLD.
Mr. slater. Of slater, Myers & Co, was
ceIJed and asked if he had purchased
STAMPS from either Of the prisoners Dul
toa question was objected 10, ana the
objection was sustained. -,
MIR Hoen. of the firm Of lithographers'
sxanined the pictures, and SAID they
vyara Drocess work. They might nave
cost S a thousand, possibly more ana
possibly less. ro.. on
MIR. G. f. Wood. another expert on On
seed varieties, said the package OF seeus
WAS worth about 10 cents. he h lehtIoiie1
s.,.srsl az the varieties and separated
,ge,, one of the members Of the ilrm
ts5 purchased a quantity Of seeds from
T. ". Wood & Sons. about ten OF eleN '5it
pounds He had asked for the cheapest p 81
ysTistics ana the bin amounted to 800
which was paid. and the goods deiiVelsq
10 the Lexington Hotel. lie hau no.
heard Of the charge untl ne hau oee"
summoned as witness in the case,
NfaVIng clerks were examined and the
,sct '', was developed that the mail OF the
bpresu on one or two occasions broke all
established records ,..os ono
The case was argued, submitted ana
then dismissed.
u