Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-04-12
SCHEME DID NOT WORK.
Wouldn't Buy "Green Goods" and Worked a
Scheme on the Schemer.
Henderson Daily Mail

Anderson Daily Mail.
The story of how an Anderson man
was instrumental in the capture of a
green goods" man in Jersey City, N. j.,
has just come to light. The story was
told to-day by Postmaster Cochran.
Last July NJ. Seligman, of this city, re-
ceived letter from 'green goods"
operator in Jersey City. 1t was the
regular "green goods" circular, telling
how the man had secured possession of
some plates from the government print
ing office and was able to offer money
''just as good as the genuine" alta very
low price.
Mr.. Seligman showed the letter to
Postmaster Cochran, and at Mr.. Coch-
rams suggestion he sent reply. In the
meantime Mr.. Cochran communicated
with the post Office authorities in Wash
1ngton. In few days Mr., Seligman
received another letter enclosing 81
bill as sample. Mr. Seligman turned
this bill over to Mr.. Cochran, who in turn
sent it on to Washington.
The green goods man said he was
not doing mail order business and that
all transactions must be made in person.
He requested Mr.. Seligman to come to
Jersey City at once and to send him a
telegram after he left Anderson to an
address which he furnished. This ad
dress was sent to Washington, and in a
few days Mr. Selgman sent the "green
goods" man telegram. A government
detective was watching, and when the
telegram was delivered the detective put
the man under arrest.
The man gave bond for his appearance
at the trial, and then skipped out, for
fcitng his bond. He is in hiding now,
fugitive from justice.
Mr.. Seligman yesterday received from
the Post Office Department check for
81, in payment for the bill which he sent
them. The bill which Che ''green goods"
man sent him was genuine, of course,
and was sent as decoy. The post Office
officials kept it, but they sent Mr. Selig-
man check for it.
Postmaster Cochran, in talking about
this affair, said that the number of swim
ding schemes that are being operated
through the mails was surprising. He
gets on to a good many of them, and
never fails to do what he can to suppress
them, and he says that more of them
would be suppressed if the people would
turn the deceptive circulars and letters
over to the postmasters when they re-
ceive them.
Not long ago, Mr.. Cochran said, a very
slick scheme was being worked. A gen
tleman in the city received letter from
a concern in another city asking him to
suggest a name for new breakfast food
that was about to be put on the market,
and Offering a handsome automobile if
he furnished name that would be ac.
cepted by the committee to be appointed
for that purpose. The gentleman an
swered the letter and sent in name. In
few days he received another letter,
telling him he had won the prize, and
asking him to send $50 in cash to pay the
freight on the automobile and it would
be shipped at once.
Thercupon the gentleman "smelt a
rat' and turned the letter over to Post
master Cochran, who sent it in to the
department at Washington. The scheme
was clearly a swindle, and the concern
that was working it had been denied the
use of the mails.