The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-03-15

CITY Yesterday afternoon from Laurin-
burg where he made a big capture yes
terday morning.
As the result of his trip to Laurin-
burg, H. T. Allen, q printer who set
type On the Laurinburg Exchange, is
in Jail at Lumberton for engaging in
one Of the biggest swindles the post
Office department has had to handle in
many a day. He worked his schemes
as III. T. Allen" Or. II. T. Allen"
M. Allen" ETC., giving his address as
"Box &c." and Station A" Laurinburg,
n. c. That town has some 1,500 in
habitants but one III a distant state
who might receive his circulars would
suppose that it was a little New York,
considering that it was such a big
place that it had postoffice stations.
The operations of Allen have been
carried on for several years, and the
postoffice department las had cogniz-
ance for two years that he has been
working some sort of scheme. He was
rather foxy. however, and it took
some time to get a clue that would
justify his arrest. Complaints, howev-
er, and circulars which he sent out
finally fell into the n of the de-
partment, and Mr.. Connolly went UP
to bag the game. On Tuesday night
he teIegraphed to Maxton, eight miles
distant, for Deputy L. S. Marshal J. c..
Parish to report at Laurinburg at
once. The deputy marshal drove over
and on a warrant sworn out by Post
office Inspector Connolly, he arrested
Allen at 9 o'clock Tuesday night. He
too it quietly at first but later he
walled his bad luck forgetting his
victims.
The postoffice department received
complaints of Aliens operations early
last year. and in September The de-
partment got something pon which it
could go to work. Allen had a big net
spread TO catch suckers. For whites
he had money making propositions.
and for negroes he had nOStrum that
would turn a black negro into a mulat-
to. others that would take the kinks
of mis- hair and still another that
would knock the righteousness of a
Niger sky high. Judging from his
circulars a darkey could be made to
believe that he would in the future
great the olfactories with an odor
equal to a combination of ~violets, hello
trope n altar of roses.
II carrying on his operations, Allen
made e~xtravagant use of the printers
art. He sent out a dozen different
kinds of printed circulars. His green
goods department circular was headed
Uncle Sans Money" In alluring Ian
guage he told his victim he had S., $40
and $40 bills that he would sell at the
following prices: s25 Tor 81; $50 for
s3.75; 800 for 81; $500 for S25. He as
sured them it would 20. and tnat there
was money in it. When he got an order
he would send sent his victim Confed-
crate states money.
a dozen or more of Aliens circulars
sent out Over the name of DR.. H. T.
Allen would make one think he was at
the head of a tremendous laboratory.
He offered recipes for making Aliens
patent leather which would
make any old shoe take on a perma-
nent patent leather appearance. He
spoke highly of ALIENS Chemical
Wniskey," and offered a recipe that
would learn a fellow how to make
good whiskey," free from poison, at
% cents a gallon. He said he had so
saloon keepers his recipe as high as
$50. He offered recipes for Aliens
Cream of Eden,' which would positive
~ eradicate wrinkles. There was also
a recipe for removing and relieving in
growing nails in one minute; another
that would knock out Rheumatism in
from "a to So hours: one for Aliens
Alsatian Hair Restorer." that would
make hair grow on any old bald pate;
and also recipes for other preparations
that would preform
All these recipes were valued at from
25 cents to $50 each. For SIXTY days
only DR.. Allen offered his patent en-
amel and whiskey recipes for S1.02. In
addition to the recipes he offered to
send each person three So bills or one
So and one SO bill free. guaranteeing
that they could not be detected from
the genuine. He says in his circular:
II will not sell these bills for reasons
of my own, but will give them away
free to purchasers of the above re-
ceipts." He offers to send II sets Of
recipes and thirty-six s. bills ($1SO) at
the low price of so. He offers $50 to
any one who can tell the bills from the
genuine article" Keep quiet" he
says, land send in your order at once
4 you want to make more money than
you ever did in your life before. This
circular must be returned with the or
der ITO insure your getting the free
present" He was sharp enough 20 get
back ten-tale circulars.
Under the head of ''Colored Peoples
Department" he sends out
advertising Aliens Ozono. which will
take the kinks out and make a negro's
hair perfectly straight; Aliens Elec-
trio Skin Refner.' which viii eradi-
cate all skin diseases and bright
Iatto white: Aliens Electric Skin
Food" which will take out all IA
cial blemiShes. smooth the wrinkle
and soften the skin. making the aged
look young" and 1.-THE young look
younger" He calls special attention to
ALIENS Anti-Odor." which he says is
guaranteed to chase away the peculiar
odor of negroes. These remedies he
offers for so cents a bottle. All he says
are made from roots and herbs. He
offers agents and dealers big discounts
and sample bottles at % cents.
With all these schemes Allen got
suckers to bite ron about all the
states in the United States. He evil
IDENTIFY raked in a pile of money, and his
dealings have been Of such a nature
that ne has victimized thousands of
people. Shortly after his arrest he was
taken before United States Commits
sioner W. H. Cox. at L~aurinburg, and
was given a hearing on charges undo
section $3.50, of the revised statutes Oh
h United States. his brings in the
green goods count. using the mails for
swindling, d~efrauding. etc. He was
held in default Of $500 bail. and yeSter-
day morning was taken to Jail at Lum-
herton, He will have a further hearing