The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-11-11
Told by Secret Service Agent
Americans Fake Mining Deals

IL the vein does not change or as
sumo the perpendicular within few
feet it will lead across the adjoining
property; II il does, we will purchase
that property in order to control the
entire lode. / think 1t could be bought
reasonable, as there has been little de-
velopment work done on it up to the
present time, although Murphy told me
I the owner was going to employ some
men and commence active operations
and develop the property TO consid-
cradle depth. We have succeeded SO
far in keeping fits richness from becom-
| ing known, which will enable us to-
| purchase said property at reasonable
| price, should it be necessary, and TO-
secure titles to as many claims as the
! location laws will admit.
should send the gold to you through
! bank, but to do so would expose us to-
| the annoyance of inquisitive meddlers
| Therefore to obviate that and protect
! ourselves, send your son or competent
| person. Cable me on receipt OF this.
when and by what steamer he sails,
| etc.
That's the usual form of it," said
the secret service man as he saw that
| his auditors eyes had taken in the
main points of the document. "Of|
| course, for different cases the matter
! is varied, but that is the style that all
| of these Thomas letters as we call
/ them. are built on. The last paragraph
| in this one lays the groundwork for the
! swindle that is to follow, as you VIII
! see That matter of secrecy enjoined
! therein is a requirement whose neces-
| sity you doubtless don't need pointed
| out.
well, to return to the narrative. The
| solicitor read the letter. At first he
| couldn't make much of ii, and then ne
/ became as much interested as the lady
1t was decided that the affair might
| be a swindle, but that there was an
| equal possibility that it might not, and
! that at any rate not much money would
/ be lost If it was, so arrangements were
made for the lady in question TO come
| to the United States in company with
| a brother who had the time to spare
and the curiosity to investigate his sis
! ter's newly discovered gold mine. The
| man in New York was cabled to, as had
! been requested, and the brother and
| sister set out on their expedition. They
! had the highest hopes and accordingly
were not overly suspicious when they
| landed in New York. They were met
] by the gentleman they had cabled to
| Cromwell he may as well be called for
! convenience.
! "CromwelPs appearance was not such
as to excite suspicion, even if they had
! been looking at him with the most
ture of prosperous man of affairs.
Stout about So years Of age, and carry
| ing them jauntily, too; not overly tall,
! and with iron gray whiskers and hair.
| he was the beau ideal of a benevolent
! yet thoroughly business-like business
/ man.
1.-The first interview with this para
gon of representatives took place the
night after the arrival of the English
people. In a private room of the hotel
! Cromwell gave many details Of Thorn
/ as great discovery. and, as proof posi-
! tive after his talk ran short he pro-
| duced a lump of what looked like gold
| IT was abuot as big as tennis BAH.
HE explained that Thomas had at
the mines seventy-three sacks of sim
! liar stuff roughly valued at $1500,0O0,
| and that the first step would be to get
I this to England and have 1t minted as
agreed upon in the letter. Then he fur
Their unfolded his plot by explaining
that Thomas held the property under
/ agreement from man named Trimble.
who was the owner of the adjoining
land mentioned in the letter into which
the reef was expected to run. Hitherto,
he said Thomas had avoided approach
ing Trimble with a view of acquiring
! all the property for fear ne should
arouse his suspicious.
Then, having explained all this,
|
/ his listeners AS the result of little
! talk it was then decided to open nego-
! tiations with Trimble who was in Phil
adelphia, and for the purpose Cromwell
was delegated to communicate with
/ him. As a matter of fact, the English
people were attempting, to the best of
! their knowledge, an unfair thing right
here. They were trying to buy prop
erty from Trimble without his know
| ing it's value but such nice consider
atoms did not at all concern them.
They were quite dazzled by the display
| of gold and awaited impatiently the
conference in Philadelphia.
"It came at last, and the negotiations
which followed show the full develop
nent of this swindling cheme and the
care with which the swipdlers approach
their victims ard the elaborate meth
DDS by which they remove all sus-
/ pieion while nustllng them into an i'm
mediate payment of the money. Trim
/ BILE they found to be q busy, busting
| man. who was all business and had not
much time for conversation. He proved
4 willing 10 sell the land, but wanted his
own price. This was $4,000, which he
| explained was in large excess Of what
! he had originally paid for it-S500-but
be had been informed by an agent that
the. land was rich in mineral deposit.
4 Altogether. TO tell the truth, he was
! not TOO eager 10 sell IT, as ne mad
thought Of developing 1t himself. This
was his whole tale. and in proof he
showed a piece of paper which purport-
ed TO be the original deed of sale by
which he had purchased the land for
$500.
THE brother and sister were COM
pletely taken in. They assured the
brusque Mr.. Trimble that they were
/ quite convinced that his price was a
fair one, and they agreed 10 pay him.
4 There was one difficulty, however
! They did not have the $4,000 with
4 them. How did he think it would do
for them to go Immediately back to
their country and cable him the
i amount?
i Mr.. TrimDle was not much inn
pressed by this offer. 1t would accom-
piish> its purpose very well, he thought.
4 but * was very unbusinesslike. and in
addition they had no security that he
i was an honest man. Suppose they
should send the money and he would
just simply up and walk off with IL?