Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03

Copyright, 1905. by Marion c. Scheitlln)
URTIs II. WINsoR, a lawyer prac-
tlclng In Sioux Falls. Dakota terri
tory presented himself at the office
~ OF United States District Attorney
Bliss in st. Louis, Mo-. one day in
the spring of 1882. and. after introducing
himself. stated the purpose of his call as
follows:
In appealing to the federal government
under the present circumstances l repre-
sent the firm of Mckinney & Scougal,
bankers of Sioux Falls. For some time the
territory of Dakota and, l have heard.
other sections of the west and northwest
have been circularized by firm in st. Louis
which Is offering to sell surveyors certih-
Gates of deposit on United States subtreas-
urles at so cents on the dollar. These GER
tlAcatcs. or scrip. represent payments made
nv settlers on unsurveyed lands. to be APP
piled on specific parcels of land AFTER II Is
surveyed. \ few days ago my clients ioi :
var,lcd to the firm of Burt Miller or tills
city 500 by the United States Express COM
,ary II, paymcnt of 81 0Oo of this scrip
Almost Immediately after forwardlns the
money Mckinney Il SCougal heard ruihors
concerning the scrip, and came mere ~
Etap the delivery of the $500 to Burt q MIL
lar and to report to the government au-
thorities our suspicious that there Is some
Thing wrong In the deal
Attorney Bliss after securing such infor-
nation AS ne could from his visitor, which
W. only a general outline of what the Da-
lota lawyer thought might be BiSahtC
fraud dispatched a messenger Tor me ana
requested me to confer with Nlnsor anu
mon To proceed as the circumstances mar
rated hy him dictated to me. 1t was late
SUNDAY night before | had WinSorS lnIor-
nation. in the form of an affidavit. Every
t4iug pointed to the preparation OF lfauu
on wholesale lines involving hundreds OF
vI hundreds of thousands OF upt-
lars Tie storm center seemed, from w IN
.ur's statement. to be the firm of Burt d
Miller of St, Louis. reputed dealers IN iaho
scrip and government warrants.
As soon as the United States Express
Company's office was open Monday morning
I was on hand From the time of shipment
Of the $500 package from Sioux Falls We
calculated that II had not yet been deliv-
cred TO Burt & Miller IN St Louis. and l
hoped to learn something of this mysteri-
ous business concern when a representa-
tive called at the express office for the
package of currency. II had been arranged
with the manager of the office thar In the
event | did not fix on the right man as
packages were called for l was to De
tipped by the delivery clerk when appli-
cation was made for the Burt 4 Miller
package After three hours l became ap-
rrehenslve and questioned the delivery
clerk.
Has the package for Burt & Miller been
called for l asked
No" he said but man called this
morning and requested that all express
matter for that firm be forwarded to Sioux
Fails Dakota"
70 whom are they to be forwarded
there"
"Iobr n Cameron
Did he leave a St. Louis address or tell
who he was?'
''He said he was C. s Miller and that his
Office was at II Chestnut street"
The clerk then described the man who
had given the order about forty-fye
years old six feet tall, with dark beard
and mustache. His having slipped through
my fingers by the misunderstanding In the
express office deprived me for the time or
opportunity to identify one of the conspir-
htors and 10 locate the others through him,
and | was compelled to go to work on the
clue left in the express Office I sent Dep
uty United States Marshal Soest to u
Chestnut street and at the place where
this number should have appeared he found
blank wall. In an alley around the cor
ner. however. he found saloon entrance
and made inquiry in the place for the firm
Of Burt & Miller" The information ne
secured was meager and unsatisfactory. but
from II he gathered that men claiming
connection with such firm at Irregular
intervals frequented a small room over the
saloon. The room was apparently secret
meeting place.
Turning to the postal machinery I sought
the aid OF the superintendent OF letter car
Tiers a friend Of mine.
Ny friend in the delivery department of
the post office. at my request made some
tnvestlga tons and found carrier who had
left mali for Burt & Miller at the St
James Hotel At that hotel the clerks told
me they knew such firm nor individuals
and there was no mail In the hotel office
for them. The situation was becoming just
a bit farclcal. Here was q firm doing an
extensive business throughout the west. re-
Ccivlng mail and express matter In ST.
Louis and two days had been consumed In
trying 20 locate its headquarters. But II
Is often the task seemingly the most simple
that develops unexpected difficulties. The
firm evidently had a confidential connec-
ti0U with parties in Sioux Falls, and the
latter ungucstionably had wired the St
Louis section OF the conspiracy of the de-
p0rtIre Tor the latter place of Attorney
Niusor.