The Butte inter mountain., 1902-08-12
LOCAL MEN DUPED BY SWiNDLERS
WHO PLAY UPON KIND HEARTS
BY PlTlFUL STORIES.
MYTHICAL PRISONER WHO
WISHES TO BECOME GOOD
Country Must Have Brought Not Less
That $1,000 Profi. to Slick Firm Who
Make the Canes Alleged to Be the
Work Of Innocent Man in the Pen.

Harry OGorman, secretary of the Butte
lodge of Elks, and several other kind.
hearted gentlemen of this city, were re-
Gently the victims of new and unique
humbug. 1t "ame about because of their
disposition 10 help fellow being in dis
tress and is altogether creditablc to them,
although it is probable that after they learn
the whole truth they will be more careful
in their efforts to do kindness to one
whom they do not know and have never
seen.
June TO- Mr.. O'Gorman secretary re-
ceiyed letter addressed to the secretary
OF the B. +. o. L. and dated Canon City,
Colorado. The letter purports to come
from the Colorado state prison and starts
OFT with an apology for sending "a nice
purple walking cane" and requesting that
1t be disposed of III some way. 1t is ex-
planned that the cane is made of 5000
pieces of paper and while the letter does
not say the impression is given that it
is hand made.
1t then proceeds: Il am serving sem
tence here for some trouble | had with
Chnaman and as | am innocent, | am
trying to get new trial and could | dis
pose Of few canes | make in my leisure
here, it would help me greatly" The
request is then made that if the cane is
not disposed of to return it to T. ]. Cor
don, No. $500, Canon City, Colorado.
1t struck Mr.. O'Gorman that here was
an opportunity to do kindness and per-
haps save man. who, il he was as
straightforward and honest as his letter,
was never guilty OF crime and should be
released. He promptly took steps to raise
some money on the cane and to that end
put it up at rafflc. 1t was but a matter
OF displaying the cane and reading the
letter to few gentlemen who came into
his place of business on East Broadway,
to secure other sympathzers and in a
few hours he had $ie.5o to send to the
erring man at Canon City.
A Rare Curiosity.
The cane was won by ]. +. Cullaton,
cashier at the Hennessy Mercantile COM
pany, and he considers it one of his most
rare and valued collections. 1t is really
pretty stick and il made by hand would
represent months OF labor. 1t is of paper,
well polished and has bone handle. Near
the top is an elk head with the usual and
familiar lettering under it.
Immediately after receiving the money
for the cane, Convict No. $500" sent
another letter profusely thanking Mr..
O'Gorman for his helpfulncss. Mr..
O'Gorman had ordered another cane ex-
actly like the one received and in the
return letter the supposed convict ex-
planned that he had made only two of the
purple canes, one OF which was sent to
John d. Lynn, chairman of the Elk grand
trustees, and that he was unable to pro-
cure any more OF the purple paper, but
he adds:
Il will send you one with an Elk head on
il made Of mining journals, in every way
as nice as the other and you can see what
you can do with it. | would like to make
you one for your trouble and sympathy for
me SO kindly expressed i'll your letter, but
would have TO ask you to send me the
purple paper as in my position it is a hard
matter to get it,
The kind hearted O'Gorman hurried to
the nearest store and purchasing several
rcams of purple paper promptly sent it to
Canon City and is now daily expecting the
mate to the cane won at the raffle by
Mr.. Cullaton.
No. $500 is Myth.
lie SUCK SAID 10 nave Deen mauc or
mining journals has not yet been ratified
off and today it was learned that the
alleged Colorado convict was a myth and
that the canes were made at factory at
cost Of about rs cents cach Moreover,
it is known that the same scheme has been
worked in many other cities and the prob
abilities are that the schemer has made
many thousands of dollars. Eastern news
papers, notably the Baltimore Sun, have
recently exposed the swindlc and investi-
CATION proves there is no convict No. $500.
All Of the letters are clevcrly written
and they impress one as the honest, heart
felt declaration Of a person who had
made up his mind to live better life.
But the name of the warden is not on the
printed heading and besides it is we'll
known that the Colorado prison does not
contain 5000 convicts. The prison author
tiles say that a gang OF swindlers have
worked the cane game successfully and
won sympathy and liberal cash from scores
OF budding philantnropists
1t is not yet known how many canes
were sent out, but it is not improbable
that the number was 10000. On this
number the swindler would average $3.50,
for which would give him a gross return
of $asooo for an expenditure of not more
than $a,5oo.