Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-03-30
Unsuccessful Effort Made to
Secure Money From Guardian
OF Late Colonel Hubbard
M'cuRDY REFUSED TO BITE
Orators Sought to Secure Funds With
Which to Settle Up Alleged Estate
That Bequeathed lowan ,OO0-Mat-
ter Reported to Postal Authorities
for Action.
Special to T,mes-E.epuhllcan.

Des Moincs, March 30.--What APP
pears to have been very elaborate
and clever attempt at swindle has
just come to light in connection with
the affairs OF the late Col. Il. C. Hub
bard, who for many years was post
master at the capitol building in this
city.
Upon the death OF the colonel, in
Des Moines, about one year ago, Gus
todian McCurdy, who was an intimate
friend, was appointed as administrator
OF his estate. Shortly thereafter Mr..
McCurdy received u letter, addressed
to Colonel Hubbard at his old home
in Council Bluffs, purporting to be
from the captain of the steamship
Neptune" at Channel, New Found
land. This letter contained II notitca-
ton to Colonel Hubbard that a certain
Edward Jackson, passenger on board
the Neptune, died while the vessel
was en- route from Jucaro, Cuba, to
Halifax, N. S., and that before his
death he had made number OF be-
quests IN the presence Of Captain Cor
don and the ships surgeon, one r. b.
Warren, of which one was q legacy of
$4,000 to Colonel Hubbard, the amount
to be paid by the administrator of
the estate of the deceased, whom the
letter stated was his brother, G. j..
Jackson. residing at Summerside,
Prince Edward Island.
Certain circumstances surrounding
the matter arousing his suspicious,
Mr.. McCurdy determined to investigate
on his own behalf. After the exchange
of several letters with them, it devel-
oped, in q letter from the supposed
administrator. that it was necessary
to have a certain joint statement sworn
to and signed by both the ships cap
tain and the surgeon. This letter gave
an address at which Captain Gordon
could be reached, and, on sending him
the joint statement to be signed, the
captain replied that it would be neces-
sary to have the instrument executed
Jointly by himself and the ships sur
geon, each in the presence of the other;
that the surgeon had in the meantime
gone ashore for the winter, and was at
that time at Bay of Islands, New
Foundland, $50 miles distant up the
coast, and advised Mr. McCurdy to
forward an express. order for SIS to
cover the expense of the surgeons
trip to and from the place where Cor
don was at that time stopping with his
ship: stating that when this was done
the document would be properly exc
cuted and returned.
The trick being apparent by this
time, Mr. McCurdy had two statements
prepared, which could be signed sep
arately by the parties and sent one
copy to each party, at the addresses
given. Nothing further was heard of
the matter until a few days ago, when
he received one of the letters back,
bearing stamp on the envelope by
the postal authorities, that the person
addressed was supposed to be engaged
in fraudulent business.
During the course of his investiga-
ton, Mr.. McCurdy took the matter up
with the postal authorities, but was in
formed by them that there were no
postal laws applicable to the case,
which gives evidence that the parties
endeavoring to work the scheme were
we'll informed on such matters. How
ever Mr.. McCurdy is a man of ex-
tensive business interests and was con-
WINGED from the first that 1t was sim
ply an effort to defraud. He followed
the case up for his own satisfaction
and his friends are congratulating him
because the parties to so smooth a
graft were neatly foiled