The times., 1899-02-08
CLEVER SWINDLERS
TAKEN into CUSTODY
Had Opened a Headquarters
in This City.
Drug Merchants Cheated Through
Bogus Orders.
To lie Prosecuted by Postomce Au.
thoritics for Fraudulent Use
of the Mails.

Headquarters Detectives Muller and
Bauer by taking into custody Lewis c. +.
Lott and Joseph d. Wilson yesterday
morning, completed the arrest of set OF
clever swindlers VINO have been extensive
ly victimizing merchants throughout the
country and who recently opened up
headquarters for their Illicit operations in
this city.
The men were arrested at the corner of
Eighth and E Streets northwest at .
o'clock. They had just arrived from New
York. The third member of the gang is
John A. Grow. He was arrested on Mon
day afternoon by the same detectives who
later apprehended his colleagues. The
trio was photographed for the rogues' gal
lery and locked up at different station
houses. Later they were taken in charge
by the Postofice authorities, VINO Will
prosecute them for fraudulent OF thu
mails.
The prisoners are all of mature years,
| and are said to be old offenders. Their
| operations are alleged to have been syste-
! matically and extensively carried en-. he
/ total amount involved cannot at present
/ be definitely determined. as returns are not
! all in. Ii is thought. however. that it wi
| reach into the thousands. The postOfflce
authorities yesterday denied the swinders
the use of the mails, and proceeded to con-
/ fiscate all matter known to b. addressed TO
! them. The mail was intercepted at the
order of Acting Chief Inspector Smith, and
! Will prove valuable evidence against the
| men.
| The scheme employed by the trio of
| swindlers is an old one Grow operated in
! this city and Lott and Wilson took care of
/ the other end of the game in New York.
! Grow came here, and, after a careful sur
vey OF the list of prominent druggists, hit
! upon the name of Henry Evans, who con-
ducts wholesale drug business at 93S +
! Street northwest. He had envelopes and
! letter heads printed bearing thai name,
proclaiming him a druggist and chemist,
/ with his place OF business at No. ll19 Sew
/ enth Street northwest. He also had print
| ed return envelopes and order blanks of a
| similar character. This done, he engaged
a two-story frame building at the stated
/ address, and caused to be placed in the
window of the small and unpretentious
| store on the ground floor notice to the
| effect that the premises would be occupied
| by Henry Evans at a subsequent Gate
! Grow then sent out orders filled in on the
| spurious blanks. The orders were never
| questioned by the firms receiving than, as
I
| country The goods packed and
shipped according to directions. and, upor
their arrival here, were redrected By Grow
to his accompliccs in New York. There
they found ready market for the goods
: and realized on them to advantage.
The operations of the men covered 9
/ period Of about two weeks and possibly &
greater length of time. They would proba
bly, be continuing them at present had il
not been for peculiar circumstances which
arose Monday morning, and caused Inspec
tor Boardman TO investigate. Tine inyesti-
CATION was the direct result of information
furnished by two visitors at detectiy,
headquarters. who appeared to make com
plants about two matters that had appar
emily no relation to each other.
The first complainant was l.. W. Burkett
manager of the Economy Typewriter Agen
cy. with an office in Thirteenth Stree
/ northwest Mr.. Burkett wanted the as
sistance of Inspector Boardman's detec
/ tives in locating a typewriter. The ma
chine, he said had been obtained from hin
by a man named Wilson, who had been in
troduced TO Burkett by Grow. Grow ha
been introduced to Burkett by an acquaint
ance. The machine had been taken b.
Wilson for trial, to be purchased in tn
event of its proving satisfactory. Burket
I sent the typewriter TO an address IN -Four
teenth Street northwest. After waiting
reasonable time to hear from his prospec
tive purchase Burkett repaired to the ad
dress in Fourteenth Street and contrar
TO expectations, discovered that Wilson di
not have an Office there, as he had stated.
Burkett was, in all probability, able !
tell Inspector Boardman something con
| cerning the nature of the business Nilso
was supposed to be carrying on. He ha
scarcely left the detective office. aftt
making his complaint. when the secon
complainant appeared in the person {
| Henry Evans.
Mr.. Evans stated that he was receivin
1 quantities OF goods at his place of busi