The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-05-07
UNITED STATES COURT
H. T. ALLEN CONVICTED OF USING THE
MAILS TO DEfRAUO.
Judge Purnell Sentenced Him to a
Term OF Eighteen Months I'm Penf-
Tertiary and to Pay a Fine OF 500.
He Had Victims From Maine to Mexi-
co-Other Cases Disposed of.

Pursuant to adjournment on Friday
evening the United States district
court met yesterday at $3.50 a. m,
His Honor Judge Purnell presiding.
Robert W. Davis, Esq, of Southport,
was sworn in and admitted to practice
as an attorney and counselor in the
United States circuit and district
courts.
THE LAURINBURG SWINDLER.
When the court met yesterday some
minor matters were disposed of and
then the trial was begun of II. T. AL
len, ALA DR. H. T. Allen, alias NJ.
Allen, the Laurinburg printer, who
was ARRESTED March 18th on the
charge of using the mails for fraudu-
lent
United States District Attorney
Claude NJ. Bernard and Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Oscar J. Spears prose-
cuted, and John II. Cook, Esq, Of
the Maxton bar, defended the accused.
The following jury was sworn to try
the case: L. T. MsLamb, Jesse Lam
caster. Richard Smith, William
Daughtry, George E. Brooks, Eugene
Philyaw, E. M. Hinson, II. P. Clark,
la DoS6NALy ." = III AAAA ~
Tillinghast and G.. w. Maultsby.
The government began it's case by
calling as a witness Mr.. Jerre Con
molly, postoffice inspector. Mr.. Con-
molly testified hat upon complaint
that circulars advertising a fraudulent
scheme were being sent out by mail
from Laurinburg he began an investi-
cation. He stated the nature of the
circulars sent out by H. T. Allen. One
signed by DR.. II. T. Allen represented
that he had a laboratory and offered
receipts for various remedies and 9TH
er articles, and in addition to the re-
ceipts which he offered at certaiz
prices he offered to give away So n
$40 bills lin exact size and lettering
to the genuine" He offered a recipe
to make ALIENS Patent Leather En-
ame1'' that will change common
shoes to permanent black patent leath-
ers at a cost of only n cent a pair;
and a recipe to make ALIENS chemi-
cal whiskey at a cost of only 25 cents a
gallon that cannot be told from distill-
ed and is not poisonous out good to
drink" The circular goes on to say:
The price of the Enamel Recipe
heretofore has been $40 and I have
charged saloon keepers as high as $50
for the Chemical Whiskey Recipe and
they have never regretted paying that
amount for it, which shows it's value
to the trade. But for the next thirty
days 1 will sell both the recipes for
only $1.02, post paid. To all sending at
once and returning this circular l will
make a free present Of three 90
fac-simile IS bills or one So and n
$40 bill. I will not sell these bills for
reasons of my own, but will give them
away free to purchasers Of the above
named receipts. Twelve sets of the re-
cipes and SO bills (S180) will be sent for
SO; $50 will be given to any n that
will tell those bills from the genuine
article. They are in exact size and
lettering to the genuine n are
printed on genuine b. N. paper. Keep
quiet and send in your order at once
if you van to make more money than
you ever did in your life before. This
is a chance not offered every day to
make o and may not be offered
to you again. Better make hay while
the sun Shines" Now is the time
don't put it off. A word to the wise
is sufficient"
There was also another circular Of
fering a PREPARATION which he lauded
as follows: ''OZono, the great hair
s~traightener and hair grower. POSI-
lively straightens knotty, nappy,
kinky, curly. troublesome, refractory
hair. stops the hair from falling out,
restores gray hair to its natural color,
and causes the hair to grow on the
baldest head" He also offers "electri-
a skin refiner'' that positively
brightens the blackes skin three
shades lighter" and that will make
the skin of a mulatto white" He also
offered electrical skin food that re-
moves wrinkles and all facial imper-
fections, and makes the aged look
youn Inc the younger look younger.
Then there was "anti-odor" hat not
only emoves all odors of the human
body but will cure sore throat chill
blains, frosted feet, etc. Two more
remedies are Cream of Eden n
-Moore's Alsatian hair restorer."
"Anti ordOr retails at 10 cents a bot
tie and all the others at so cents,
but DR.. Allen offers them to agents
for $3.50 per dozen bottles.
Inspector Connolly testified that he
went to Laurinburg and upon making
a careful investigation found that AL
len was not a doctor and that he a
no laboratory, and his Investigations
justified him in having Allen arrested
William s. Booth, a witness sum-
moned from New York, was sworn Inc
he testified that he sent $2.04, got the
enamel and whiSkey recipes and $50
in Confederate money.
Ira S. Clary, a witness from Column
bus, Ga, testified that he got Aliens
circulars and after some correSpon-
dence with him turned them over to a
government detective.
J.. H. Gregory, summoned from Nor
ris Plains, N. J., testified that he re-
ceived Aliens circulars. sent him 81
and wrote the postmaster. He wrote
Allen a letter ordering some of his
money. and also wrote to the postmaS-
ter at Laurinburg. The postmaster
showed Gregory's letter and Allen
smelt q mouse and returned his y.
saying he was "sory but unable to sup
ply the goods wanted" Mr.. Gregory
was a detective and was trying to
work Allen.
II. J. Channel. from Brookwood, Ala.
testified that Allen got him for $40. and
sent him 20 fac-simile S. bills Of con-
tinental money nj ten little booklets
entitled 1.-The Guide to wealth" con-
tanning various recipes.
Other witnesses who testified were
I. ii. Petty, of Parsons Tenn, R. w.
Cayaniss. of Southern Pines, N. c.,
Alfred r. Prevatt. Of Lumberton. N.
c., and J. A. Wicker, of Southern
Pines, N. c., who testified that they
got Aliens circulars, sent him money
and got receipts and Confederate n