The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-11-27
new Green GOODS
]. McAndreWs Arrested in
This City for Perpatrat-
ing a Novel Swindle.
THEY BOUGHT COUH7ERFEITS
Instead the Dupes Received
Green Glass Pins Worth
Thirty Cents a Gross.

United States Commissioner Lindsey
Rowe had before him this morning the
latest phase Of the green goods business.
John McAndrew, who said he lived in
Bayonne, was arrested by United States
Postoffice Inspector w. b. Snow in the
postof1ce in this city on Saturday while
he was gathering up a large pile of regis
tered letters. It is charged that he has
swindled many people in the Southern
and Western States by new green goods
method
He first sends out a circular headed
barrels of Money outlining his scheme.
Thousands of these circulars have been
sent through the Jersey City Post Office
to persons in the South and West each
week during the last few months. The
circular reads
Barrels of money are emptied every
week into the pockets of those who are
wide awake. IF you want a few barrels
of money don't hesitate, but take up our
offer at once.
Dear Friend-We have a lot of fmita-
ton jewelry which YOU can dispose of
very easily. The price $1.00 is in each
corner of the long green printed card
each piece is put upon. These goods are
gotten up so well that no one except an
them and the genuine. They are per-
feet imitation of the real goods. After
awhile wa win have some for sale, the
selling price printed 500, $500 and 5000.
We will send YOU LOCO for $40 cash
with order.
we will send s,ooo for $50 cash with
order
I'VE win send 1900 for $3.50 cash with
We will send 5000 for $500 cash with
Yours for big business,
'134 Mercer street, Jersey city, N. j.,
have their curiosity aroused and write
for further particulars.
To such letters AicAndrew would reply
in strain which would deepen the i'm
meant green goods" or counterfeit
money.
If a victim writes for a sample and en-
closes 81 he gets third letter in whicn
is enclosed a cheap brass pin with a. piece
of green glass in it, attached to a white
card edged with green, on which Is print
ed in green ink on each corner. price 81.
This pin is attached to a crisp new 81
Treasury note. The letter says
Dear Sir-Your letter of recent date
containing 81 received We herewith en-
close you a dollar sample of our imita-
ton jewelry. Tou will notice that ct IS
a very good irnfta ton of the real article.
We enclose a 81 bill back to you as agreed.
You can see that it is a fine imitation OF
the real article and will prove satisfac-
tory we feel confident. If it does we shall
expect a large order from you If you do
not care to make a trial start please let
us know at once, then we can erase your
name from our books. Awaiting your
r. SA''' " i. McANDREw.
If a correspondent has had his cupfdity
aroused by the first letters and has de-
cided to risk handling what he supposes
is counterfeit money. this third letter is
sure to catch him He sends his money,
$40, $50 or more, and in return gets, not
per as the come on In the ordinary green
goods game does, but / 600, 5000 or more
brass pins, worth at wholesale about 80
cents a gross. He cannot kick, as he has
been treated exactly as agreed To ex-
pose McAndrew would be to expose him
self and he could not prove that he had
been defrauded without admitting that he
was willing to defraAd the government
The Postoffice department has receiv-
ed word of the alleged swindle from all
sections of the United States. It is esti-
mated that in the last few months thou
sands of persons have fallen victims
McAndrew was arrested under the sec
tion of the United States statutes which
makes It a crime to operate any scheme
to obtain money by or through CORE
spandence by what is commonly called
money fraud or By what IS commonly
called green goods. green articles,
green COIN sllIs.' paper goods. 'spuri-
Gus treasury notes, United States goods
terms intended to be understood as re-
lating to such counterfeit or spurious ar
ticles.'
at No. "a Mercer street. At first he refused
to tell where he belonged. but finally said
he lived in Bayonne He was held IN
$500 bail for examination.