Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1901-01-17
4 SNAP WHILE II LASTED.
A Trio Of Polish Jews in st. Louis
Work Scheme to Acquire
Unearned Wealth.
SUCCEEDED SWINnlnGly FOR A TIME.
In Carrying Out Their Plans the
Mails We're Used, and Uncle Sans
sIeuths Got After Them aud Land
ed Them In Jail Pending Fur
ther Proceedings.

ST. Louis, Jan. lS. Government Sc
cret service officers have checked the
operations Of three men who are
charged with having, by fraud. Sc
cured and disposed of thousands OF
dollars worth OF dry goods, ovcralls,
ladies underwear and similar articles,
using the name of a reputable St.
Louis firm In ordering the consign-
ments. Menasha or Manasse Lip
schitz, of No. 1873 North Eighth
street; Samuel Lipschitz. his son. and
Nathan Harris, an employe, are
charged with being the workers OF the
scheme. The losers include dozens of
eastern firms, all of whom have not
as yet been heard from.
M. Lipschitz e. Co.. which is q
reputable firm with an excellent rat
ing In the commercial agencies, To-
Gated at 7O2f and 7O4 North Seventh
Street, was the one whose name was
used by the trio. II was not until
two months had elapsed, after the
plot was discovered, that the outhori-
ties were able 10 reach the men sus-
peeted.&F NV 49,.
abR An Issssieas Plan.
The plan was apparently conceived
last July. Eastern firms. among them
II. Crystal. John Pullman, Max Hal.
pert, NJ. Weintraub and the II. III.
Skirt Co, of New York, end the star
and Crescent company. of Philadel-
phia. received orders for goods on
90 and 90 days time by the firm OF
M. NJ. Lipschutz g. Co.. After few
days, the orders were honored. as the
credit of the firm of that name was
excellent. Bales. boxes and bundles
began corning 90 81. louis and were
carried 10 an, old, building, at 1913
Chestnut street. This wns the head
quarters or the conspirators. As soon
as the wagons reached the place, they
were quickly unloaded, the dray bills
signed and, soon after. another wag-
on would haul the stuff away. Neigh
bors, most OF whom are colored peo-
pie, noticed this and commented on IL.
Three men and a girl were OCCASION
ally seen about the place, but they
mnde efforts TO keep out of sight as
much as possible. These mysterious
operations were kept up from July
28 TO October 10.
Complaints began 40 Come.
About this time complaint came to
the postal authorities from the firms
that there was something wrong. The
Lipschitz firm had written that they
had received none of the goods. and,
besides, had not ordered them. Chief
Inspector George a. Dice detailed In
sPector John ID. Sullivan to locate the
parties who claimed the goods. He
has. since October, secured the Polish
and Jewish districts In an cffert to
lind the trio. He learned from team
sters finally where the bales were de-
livered. and from neishbors that the
seemed to be Polish
Jews. Then came the task of estab-
fishing their Identity. In was not sup
posed that they had used their own
names. .w
The Coincidence Of Names.
The coincidence of names was not
Inspector Sullivan discov-
cred that few of their countrymen
knew much of the men, until, from a
description, ne traced the old man TO
his quarters. This was the signal for
action.
United States Marshal Louis C.
Bohle was notified. Friday afternoon,
that-eperything was in readiness for
the arrests, and warrants were sworn
put before United States Commission
er Gray, charging the men with us
ng she mails in The furtherance of q
scheme.
Arrested at Their Homes.
The three were arrested at their |
homes and locked up pending hearing
before United States Commissioner |
jray.
The postal inspectors are Of the |
opinion that the Lipschitx family tried |
illinois as a field OF operations. Last |
week they learned that one Lipschitz
had disposed of a store in Jackson
lille, ILL.,, which he had but recently
opened. Last week also Nathan Har-
us sold out dry goods store that he
lad but recently opened in Granite
City, Ill.