The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-08-30
FRAUD CHARGED
IN USE OF MAIL
Arrest of Doctor ROwley and |. G..
Young Follows Inyes-
tigation.
SEND CHEAP WATCHES C. 0. D..
Farmers Invest in a "Pay 81 Il
Month for Fifty Months
and Borrow $1,000
Scheme.
SEND CHEAP WATCHES C. 0. D.

DOCtpT ~. a. iSOWleE ana l. - bRilIS
were arrested Yesterday afternoon in their
offices. in the Jefferson building. Jefferson
avenue and Olive street. by w B. Piatt. a
Post-O Office Inspector; John Murphy of the
Secret Service and Louis ]. Ziegler, one of
Chief Desmonds men.
They were placed in the holdover at the
Four Courts. and will be brought before
the United States Commissioner tomorrow
morning. They will be charged with
fraudulent use of the mails.
Both men declare they are innocent. and
when Chief Desmond asked them what they
We're arrested for said they did not know
They said they knew nothing of the So
called Dead Mans Swindle'
The Dead Mans Swindle" was brought
to the notice of the St. Louis Police De-
partment about a week ago by the Chicago
authorities. Detectives were placed upon
the case.
WATCHES SENT C. o. d.
This concern operates under the name of
9Th Unique Supply Company" The opera
tors secured names of persons from diff
ferent places in the United States who
have recently died.
A package is sent c. o. d. containing a
watch with the hope that the charges will
Va N-'0
dead person.
In most cases the package had charge
of from s. to SO to be paid
A letter accompanies the package. which
states that the dead person ordered the
watch and had M de partial payment 1t
also states that on account of difficulty in
finding the kind of a watch that had been
ordered ii had been delayed
Several uofcbao ,,.ara
and in this way the authorities there de-
tected the alleged swindle. Several persons
receiving the watches refused to paw the
charges and they We're sent back to St.
Louis. The watches are of the cheapest va
riety. worth about 81.
The authorities here. after consulting the
Prosecuting Attorney, found that .be,,- could
place no charges agains. :i,e men unless
one OF the victimized persons would come
to st. Louis and swear out a warrant
against them
AT first nothing was known of the letter
or postal card which accompanied the ex-
press package When this fact was learned
they communicated with the Federal am
thCrities. "
SAY THEY ARE EMPLOYEES.
After the arrest, Rowley and Young told
The officers that the man who operated the
sw1ndie was named Crum. They said that
they were only working for him. They said
they took packages to the express Office
and collected money for those which had
been accepted.
Express books, with entries Of all pack.
ages sent out of the city, one OF the watches
and much correspondence was found bv ~.
police. e
, Some of the persons to whom watche,
" Wer Re, sent by express. e .. D.. are: Frank
Seph; Mo-. the charges being s5.e5: Doctor ].
II, Stumbers. st. Charles. Mo. charges
| S5I: Mrs. Amelia f. Watson, No. $40
Thomas J. Bowles. No. $50 Wallace street
Chicago. charges S5.65; r. E Brown, Van
Buren. Ark. charges $3.50. On the express
The majority of them lived In Chicago.
The authorities have evidence that Row.
ley sent the packages away and collected
the Post Office. -
The other alleged swindle on which the
Post-Office Inspectors have been working
by r. Aionzo Rowley at No. 51l North Gar
rlSon avenue. under the name of the Enter
pany. Noi''
On the paper of this company the paid-ur
capital Is represented to be sa0OoG. Sew
eral OF the persons claiming to have beer
oiictilniled are Annie killinger. Bette Fran
els and John killinger ali of CoIlinsviIle
CAN BORROW 81 600
certificate is given to subscribers stat
ing that as soon as they have paid $50 into
the home fund" they are entitled TO a
loan Of $1,000. The membership fee Is S.
This Is paid at the time of application. Dues
OF slSo are to be paid each month until so
has been paid. They are then entitled to a
loan OF sl.Gc0 from the investment company
The company then. the certificate states
Will build them home or buy property for
them. Much correspondence was carried or
through the malls. The certificates were
signed by r. AlonZo Rowley
Inc Acme Law and Collection Company
Is SAID to be new scheme. Rowley and
Young admitted last night that they were
the operators of this company.
According to the authorities, 1t is oper-
ated in the following manner: They secure
subscribers at the rate of So each:
For these subscribers they agree to dc
law work and collecting without any com.
pensation. or for a less fee than othe,
companies charge. 1t is said they have a
large number of subscribers.
The Post-Office authorities believe Row.
ley to be the same man who operated !;
swindle In the eastern part OF Kansas
about three years ago. Farmers were the
| victims in this case.
Post-Oftice Inspector Dice says that St
Louis is crowded with swindlcrs on account
| that he will do all In his power to appre
bend them.
Chiefs Kelly and Desmond both believe
| the right men have been arrested and thai
| there. is no doubt that they will be CON
! victed.