Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-02-12

,ss likely TO cause any one TO sus-
Dect their origin. Mind you, this prop
5sition is made after the $500 is in
he pocket of the sharper. 1t is al
most incredible, but it is a fact that
he countryman, in the majority of
ases, consents to give back his $4,000
worth of genuine bills to the crook to
subject it to the process" After re-
eeiving the $4,000 back the sharper dis
appears, the "steerer" does likewise,
and the sucker" is penniless. Had
he murmured an objection or hesi-
ated moment, he would have been
confronted with a loaded revolver. In
this way theft by assault and battery
is not necessary, and the same object
is achieved in the quiet suave fashion
described, and the victim, because of
his position as would-be dispenser
of false bills, is blocked from COM
planning to the police.
This is the simplest method OF
greengoods procedure. There are
thousand variations to this theme.
each of which is a hard nut for us to
crack. You ask why cannot one of
our men impersonato credulous per-
son and then arrest the blackguards?
We have done this, but have practi-
cally abandoned the idea, because gen.
orally we have been unable to pro-
duce enough evidence to convict. The
sending of the kilograms and letters
is so adroitly managed that the train
of evidence which we may collect is
likely TO break at an important point.
OF course, the detectives life is in
constant danger when pursuing these
crooks.
Where do the sharpers get the
money with which to play their trade?
Where did the man in the case cited
get his $4,000 in genuine money!" was
asked. Mr.. Swift replied;
That is the most interesting part
of the story. The system does not
depend for its success upon the re-
sources of a few needy swindlers.
These men are simply agents OF
wealthy criminals, who manage their
men, outline the plan, think of new
schemes and pay their agents gen.
erous percentage of the amount they
steal from their victims. This veal
thy criminal is the king sharper OF
the crowd; it is he who furnishes the
capital. To prove my knowledge of
the existence of these facts, III say
that know one of these king crooks.
He lives in Pennsylvania where he has
q magnificent stock farm. Many acres
of rich land, on which are costly cat
tie and horses, stretch on all sides
from his baronial-like mansion. There
are others like him, closer to New
York human vultures. who by the ex-
ercise of peculiar cast OF intelli-
gence have been able to amass large
fortunes. They have wrought so cum
ningly that while we are certain
that they are exceedingly dangerous
to society," we are almost powerless
to convict them. The very nicely of
impossible the fulfilment of justice
We have been fairly successful, how
ever, in driving these highwaymen
from our postoffice, and what we
want now Is just this amendment to
the interstate commerce law which
will make telegraph and express COM
panies-the former particularly
more heedful of their duty. We have
law in New York state which pro-
hibits this wretched business being
carried on by telegraph or mail. All
states should have such statute, or
else let us have a Federal law to the
same effect. New Jersey has statute
prohibiting telegraph and express
companies from aiding and abetting
these swindlers. We have recently
had New Jersey operator imprisoned
for violating this law.