The herald., 1898-01-07
A NEW SWINDLE
HOW DESIGNING PERSONS WERE
WORKED FOR $50
Postal Inspector Flint Carries On a
Correspondence With Swindler
and Lands Him in Jail

anceS the device Is as ingenious as IL Is
INSCRIPTIONS. Postoffice Inspector M.
H. Flint has been at work on the case
for some weeks, and since he started for
the east Inspector Irwin of San Fran
cisco has followed the matter up. We'd
nescay the matter came to focus. and
Inspector Erwin and United States Mar
shall Pourade took trip to Riverside,
arrested A. NJ. Williams. and he is now
in the county Jail, charged with using
the United States mails for swindling.
Several weeks ago w. f. Baker oil
Banning received the following letter.
which he at once sent to Inspector Flint:
RIVERSIDE, Cal. Dec. 20, 1887.
Dear Husband: I enclose you mere
with Mr.. Hoyt's note for $15O.oo. Mr.
Hoyt wants to pay the note before Que
and was quite disappointed when ne
called yesterday and found that / would
not accept payment and give up the
note until 1t became due, or at least
until had consulted first with you. NOW
II you think best to accept payment ana
give UP the note, then return the note
to me, so that may collect the money
from Mr. Hoyt and send it at once to
you, because suspect you need it.
Mother is more down on you than
ever, if possible, and she has just made
a new will, giving me her entire estate,
provided I get divorce from you within
a year after her death, otherwise Uncle
Henry and Cousin Julia get it all. Law
yer Jones tells me that I can get a di-
vorce from you on the ground of deser-
ton and secure my inheritance; then
we can marry again and thus evade poor
mothers cruel will. The doctors all say
that she can hold out but few months
longer at most, and the best we can do,
dear husband, is to humor poor mothers
peculiar whim for the time. If she knew
that we corresponded at all really be-
lieve that she would disinherit me alto
gether, so be very careful never TO
write to me in your own handwriting
and name, and get some one else TO do
it for you under a false name. Their
mother would not recognize the hand
writing; but don't write often and be
very careful, as she keeps close watch
on all of my letters.
Now, dear husband, If you want the
money on this note, then get some one
to address letter to yourself under any
false name that you may see fit to use,
and send that envelope and the note to
me. I will then understand that you
want the money and will remit to you
at once in an envelope addressed to
yourself under a false name. Do not
write anything to me. should you re-
turn the note, unless something of great
Importance, but simply follow these in
structions, then mother will be no wiser
If she sees it; but If do not hear from
you at all then will understand that
you intend to keep the note until due
and will so inform Mr.. Hoyt
"Unless otherwise ordered I will send
you the money in bills of as large de-
nomination as possible without register
ing the letter. because you could not be
identified under a false name and &c
could not draw a registered letter; be-
sides you are so far from the postoffice
Just now and often have to depend on
others getting your mail for you, but as
no one will suspect its value think it
will be safe, although 1t could not be
traced If lost
IT have not heard from you since you
left Charles, and this is my first letter
to you at your new address. Oh, how
lonesome do get in this big house with
out you, and life is such monotony
here, alone with mother, that I am al
most tempted to begin typewritine
again for Armstrong & Co. Address al
your letters to A NJ. Williams, River
side, Calf, then I can call for then
without much danger of mothers seeing
them.
Hoping this will find you, like my.
self, in the best of health, but in better
spirits, am, as ever,
"Your faithful wife,
MARY A. BAKER"
Inspector Flint sent a reply to the let
ter, and, as requested, Enclosed an en-.
velope bearing the fictitious name OF
A. B. Cartwright. at Banning. In a few
days a letter arrived returning the note
to Baker in the envelope bearing the
name of Cartwright endorsed received
payment on account of this note OF
$780," A few days later Mr.. Baker re.
ceived letter from the Interstate De.
tective association at Riverside, say
ing that Mr.. Baker had been accused t.
them of taking mail from the postoffic,
not designed for him, thus breaking q
IeueTdl Stdtute, anu lUttl Iue agency
would proceed against him unless he
at once sent them $50. This information
was Immediately forwarded to the in
Ispector and Wednesday Mr. Erwin and
Deputy Marshal Pourade went to River
side and Swallowed Williams until they
saw him go to the postoffice and take
out decoy letter which they had mailed
to him.
Williams room was searched and il
was discovered that he had sent out over
a hundred similar letters and was re-
Iceiving many replies every day. 1t was
evident that he had terrorized a number
of people into paying him the $50 black
mail. A full supply bearing the letter
head of the detective agency and con-
siderable quantity Of other incriminat-
ing evidence was found.
SCHOOL NOTES
r. L. H.