Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-13
|CR|MES RUN TO EARTH
SkiIIfuI Work by the Post Office
Inspectors.
MUST SOLVE PROBLEMS
Successful Operations Of Some Adroit
Swindlers.
EASILY IMPOSE UPON PEOPLE
Money Coined by Vaughan, the Bogus
Broker-Methods Of Donald
son and Powell.
EASILY IMPOSE. UPON PEOPLE

All of the interest and excitement of the
life of a Sherlock Holmes Is found in the
experiences Of the corps Of inspectors in the
employ Of the Post Office Department. Nc
more intricate and battling cases for de.
tective work come under the notice Of any
police in the country than those which these
men are handling Almost daily. From the
very nature of the problems they have to
solve and because of the cleverness Of the
culprits whom 1t is their duty to apprehend
and prove guilty silence in regard to the
facts until everything is over is absolutely
necessary; but after the schemer is brought
to a halt and fraud order issued against
his mail, or, If his offense has been crimi-
nal, he has been landed behind the bare or
made to pay fine, the department Is will
ing that the details shall become known.
The famous Vaughan swindle. recently
brought to light and killed by the inspec-
tors, is a first-ciass illustration Of how
these cases are worked up"
Operations Of Vaughan.
Edward A. Vaughan appeared at the Ger
mania Bank, Minneapolis, December 20,
1904, with two or three companions and de-
posted Sc, 200 in his own name, advising the
officers Of the bank that he was about to
start grain brokerage business in the city.
He then rented offices in the Guaranty Loan
building, one of the finest office buildings in
Minneapolis, purchased expensive office fur
niture from local dealer on the monthly
payment plan, installed telegraph service
and employed a competent telegraph opera
tor, also a stenOgrapher.
Printed circular matter, describing the
business, containing Vaughan's likeness
pictures of the building in which his office
was located, scenes in Minneapolis, ETC.,
bearing the name of Edward A. Vaughan,
commission broker, were sent by freight
from Chicago to Minneapolis and mailed by
Vaughan in the Minneapolis post Office.
pamphlet. called Wheat" were mailed
early in January, 1905. These were fol-
lowed by thousands Of other circulars, tell
ing of Vaughans experience as business
man and broker, requesting the public to
send him sums of money with which to pur-
chase wheat, and guaranteeing large prof.
it's. All the literature was attractive, racy
and bore evidence Of the authors knowledve
Of the grain and commission business. He
also sent out facsimiles of letters-refer-
ences-in large numbers, purporting to be
from bankers in Chicago, Washington, D.
c., and Minneapolis; others purporting to
be from former customers in all parts of
the country, and from many men high In
public life, such as United States sena-
tors representatives, army officers and
postmasters. Actual business relations with
a reputable Minneapolis grain dealer were
commenced. Through him some grain was
actually bought and sold, and in few in
stances small profits were RENTED to Gus
toners He purchased two columns of
space in one of the local daily papers-the
Saturday issues-in which his market re-
view appeared, and approximately 100000
copies of this paper were sent by mail
throughout the United States and Canada.
The Monster Melon"
The whole scheme was most carefully and
ably plannad and artistically executed. BY
April 1, 1905, three months after arriving in
Minneapolis Vaughan and his associates
established, through their literature, and
by correspondence, a certain standing with
thousands of people throughout the coun-
try. 1t was their plan to keep the business
in operation, or, rather. to remain in Mime
apolis. until May 10. 1905 On April a
typewriter letter bearing Vaughan's sig
nature was gotten out. Copies of this were
afterward named the Monster Melon let
ter This confidentially advised the ad-
dressee that a "big wheat deal was on
which would be consummated May TO- Two
hundred to three hundred per cent profit
was guaranteed. Mr.. Vaughan had Inside
information" and wanted every one to get
q slice of the monster melon.'~ He would
receive remittances in sums Of not less than
500 to operate in his own name His re-
was to be % per cent Of the
profit. With these letters pictures Of his
Minneapolis residence and terminal facilities
were sent, conveying evidence of his pros
perity; they were, in fact, pictures Of a
$4,000 residence and an immense grain ele-
vator in Minneapolis owned by others.
Many apparently believed what they
read, as about April It'll or 9Th remittances
began to arrive by mail. express and tele-