The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-02-26

now IN prison WIFI -UO charges abalHSt
him. One was notably audacious. Having
standing, he would forge an order in his
name on n wholesale dealer for merchnn.
disc to be shipped to the place in which
the merchant resided, or to some Other
locality where, as the writer alleged, lie
was about to open Il branch store. As a
rule. these orders were promptly filled.
Rothschild would then assume the name
of the business man." and have letters
addressed to him under this name at the
place to which the goods were to be ship,
ped. If the place Glanced to be one at
which branch was to be opened, Roths-
child would appear n few days in adj
vance of the arrival of the goods, and by
the receipt of letters through the post
Office and frequent inquiries at express
and freight offices establish his identity
sufficiently to obtain possession of the
packages on their arrival. He would then
disappear, carry his plumber with him
which usually consisted of diamonds, jew
elry, or other articles of small bulk.
If the goods were ordered sent to the
place where the supposed buyer resided,
Rothschild would inquire at the post-office
for mail, and when told that the most
prominent business man of the town bore
the same name, feign great surprise. He
would then call upon his namesake, form
his acquaintance, and receive the letters
he had caused to be mailed, which, natur-
ally, had been delivered with the regular
mail, and the contents of which had great
ly puzzled the local merchant. Roths-
child's manner was agreeable, and his
knowledge of the letters so clearly identi-
fed him with the transaction relating to
certain goods soon to arrive that he was
enabled to secure them without arousing
suspicion.
In the latest green-goods swindle the
victims are PostInasters, who do not dare
to complain to the authorities. 1t is be-
lieved that more than 1000 Postmasters
have been swindled out of sums ranging
from $3.50 TO $1,000, and at the present
time the scheme is being worked in Chi
cago.
The game, as explained to the Inspec-
tors recently, is so simple that it is not mt
all strange that thousands of Postmasters
throughout the country have been caught.
1t IS the old green-goods fraud arranged
for trapping POstmasters, and they have
fallen into the deadfall in prodigious num-
bers.
Seductive circulars were sent out to
thousands of Postmasters of small towns
reading somewhat as follows:
Have you ever wondered why the Post
master at Oysterville dresses in furs and
drives fast horses, while his wife wears
costly laces and diamonds, and his chill
dren are dressed in style which puts
your children to shame? Have you ever
stopped to reason out why he should be
SO much better off than you are? Have
you ever wondered whether he has secret
income or not? If you would like to know
why his income is SO much better than
yours we can tell you.
"You pay for 81 900 worth of postage
stamps $1,000 What could you make in
q year il we furnished YOU 81 900 worth
Of stamps for $3.50? We are furnishing
the Postmaster at Oysterville with his
stamps, and he has never been caught;
why should you! Examine carefully the
stamps we send you free. If you can sell
these through your window without trou-
bic, why should you not sell Others? If
you want $1,000 worth of these stamps
for $50, communicate with us by telegram
at once. We inclose telegram
With this circular the green-goods men
sent number of clippings, apparently
from New York papers, telling of the rob-
berry from the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing in Washington of plates of en-
graved postage stamps of the One-cent,
two-cent, fve-cent and ten-cent denOmina-
tons. The circular included brief state
ment to the effect that the writers were in
possession OF these plates, and could fur
nish any number of Impressions at a mod
crate rate: $1,000 worth for $3.50; s., 600
for $500, or 5000 for $500.
The telegram read as follows:
"Will arrive Thursday evening at 0
o'clock"
Such Postmasters as were entrapped
were met by ''steerer," who took them
in charge and conducted them to a fiat
in New York City. Here an entirely new
game is said to have been worked, and
one which for cleverness has never been
excelled.
As soon as the deal was conducted and
the money turned over the stamps would
be counted out and placed in the covers
Of an atlas.