The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-23
NEW TRICK OF ASWlNDLER.
OFFERED Moor TTOS rs TO THEFTS
o A CONSIDER m

Money to he Deposited Is Evidence of Good
Faith, of Course-Broker Was Induced to
Send Halves of Bills, hut Merchants Were
Warier-seems IA Wcll-Educated Thief.
Detective Foye OF Can't. McClusky's staff
arrested a man in the brooklyn Post Ofice
yesterday, whom the police believe to be re-
sronsible for soaring some New York mer-
chants very effectively within the last few
months. His trick. they say. was to write
ANONYMOUS letters to the merchants inform
ing them that they were being robbed by
their employees. aud that lie would furnish
them with COMPLETE ana cause the
restoration Of their goods Tor Il consideration.
The attention of the police was first di.
rected TO the scheme by James T.. Nichols OF
Austin. Nichols y Co.. wholesale Erorcrs. at
I'll Hudson street. Mr.. Nichols received an
anonymous letter saying that 100000 worth
OF goods had been taken from his store. The
writer said that for 81 900 and the promise
that his identity would remain secret lie
would tell who the thieves were and where at
least $4,000 worth Of goods could lie found.
Mr.. Nichols. believing that if he hal been
robbed the police We're the people TO attend To-
the matter. took the letter t. CAPT. McClusky
at once, and tho Captain supervised II CORE
spondenrc between Mr.. Nirhpls.and the un-
known. Mr.Nichols's end Of il was carried on
through newspaper personals. The anony-
nous one said that lie didn't want to 20 on the
witness stand. He would be put out OF en-
u.oyment by the exposure OF the theits. any
way, lie said. and il was only To- provide for his
family that he wanted the $1,000.
Late in Auril Mr.. Nichols received letters
from the same man written on the letter ia
per OF the Merchants Hotel. st. Paul. uEd uoa.-
marked at ST. Paul. He had moved 10 st.
Paul in a hurry. lie said. but would come back
to Philadelphia or Jersey CITY q meet Mr..
Nichols AMI wanted money Tor travelling cN-
penses. re the =. Paul letters he signed the
name Of Oscar v. ltenke: letters were to he
Post Office there. Mr.. Nichols declined to adj
suggestion. The next letter came ustensibly
from Tavlor's Hotel. Jersey City. After that
the letter writer gave Mr.. Nichols ur as h"re-
Meanwhile the police found that Mills y
Iihb. wholesale dry goods merchants bernard
Neit, mLllner, of '2I broadway. and 7. Is. Vii
son Of ~ broadway had received similar let
ters, strangely, enough, these wcr" GATED n
this city. though mailed nt the same I me as
the letters Mr.. Nichols received from 81 Paul.
4 few days ago o. 7 ' %rccIand Of No. Green
received "a letter telling him. that. the writer
would return the certificates for 500. lie
bill and one-half Ola 500 hlll to Sclnh H..
Hemphill. genera, delivery, %Brdgeport. Conn;
took the ietteT to CCaTTt. Me- insky. who ::at .cnre
recognized the hanGwtittnE, Of Mr. Nichols
| rOrreGnOnuent Mr. NfetIani addressed a LET
ter to Hemphill. but inrloscl no money. and
Detective foye went to Bridgeport to catch
the Swindier On sunday the bridgeport nos
tai authorities received n postal asking them
to reuddress Mr.. Hemphills mail TO the Brook
lyn special delivery, foye cane bncE, to
brooklyn and arrested the man VINO called for
the letter.
The prisoner is tall, slim and well dressed.
and his manners and speech are consistent
with the excellent appearance OF his letters.
lie refused To- say n word about himself. cN-
rept that he had heen asked hv Il friend t. call
ut the Post Office for II letter. He was taken 10
the Centre street Police Court and remandrd.
The police have heard that n broker named
McGovern sent two half bills TO the prisoner
for information about $1,000 worth OF bonds
and. OF course. never heard from him again.
Cant. .MrClusky, wants to find Mr.. NcGovern.
The CAPTAIN thinks that the. prisoner nut
halves of bills together. or had them redee med
by the Sub Treasury. He will probably be
turned over TO the Post OnlrC inspectors to-
dny 70 he charged with using the mails fraud
ulently.