The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-23
New Yorker Charged With
Gold Brick" Game" Ad-
mitS Former Arrest.
GANG VICTIMIZES
RICH ENGLISHMEN
Three Men Said TO Have Co
operated in Swindle for
Many Years.

NEW YORK. Dec. I.-ACUng on In
formation furnished by the postal au-
thorities central office detectives ar
rested Charles II. Adams as he was
leaving the Broadway Central Hotel IF
ter calling there for mail
Adams and his associates are said 10
have cleaned up over s250,OcO in the five
years that they have been operating
Most Of the money came from the heirs
of estates in England and Scotland,
who were induced TO invest In a gold
mine that did not exist.
In appearance Adams is the prosper
Gus mining man TO the ninutest detail.
He is siNtv-two years old. six feet, two
inches tall, and weighs about 255
pounds
Detectives Barney McConviHe and
Nelson, from the central office, and
Postoffice Inspector O'Brien captured
Adams after he had secured mail ad-
dressed to John Williams.
At police headquarters the prisoner
admitted he'd been arrested in Mon
treal. but never in the United States.
Old-timers around the detective bureau
were pretty sure that Adams was an
old-time confidence operator who used
to operate in the big hotels.
After Gang for Months.
Walter S. Mayer, postofhce inspector.
in charge OF the New York district
said his department had been after the
gang for months. In the last year the
inspector has had four complaints
through the British consul and from
Scotland Yard. In ole instance the
swindlers got $4,000, IL another $4,000.
and in the last complaint he heard of
the amount was S5.OGl
I'm the last FIVE years." said the
inspector, this gang has secured at
least $4,000 We have a mass OF evil
dence against Adams"
Three men operated the swindle, the
inspector said. One Of them was sta
TONED abroad, who kept careful watch
on the records at Somerset Han. the
English court OF probate. From them,
II is said, the names OF wealthy Eng
aishmen recently deceased were pro-
cured and cabled over 20 Adams.
Adams, the Inspector alleges. then wrote
a letter addressed to the dead man, I'm
which he stated:
4 arrived here today from the mines
in British Columbia, where I left our
mutual friend well and prosperous. He
requested me to write YOU at the hrst
opportunity. Last season we cleaned
up nearly $4,000. nearly all OF which
ne is sending out by me-
The letter gave further directions to
take the sold to a London bank or the
mint and realize on It. OEe-half Of
the proceeds was to go to the receiver
OF the letter and the rest was to he
sent back to the writer OF IT,. The
many favors shown 10 "Our mutual
friend" Most of the letters sent abroad
were dated from Newark. y. j., and
WeStficld. y. j.
The Letter Concluded nv -a,-i-r- +tat
the writer Of 10 had a sealed package
for the recipient OF the letter and asked
that some one who could be trusted be
sent after Il
Heirs Would Investigate.
The letter was timed to reach the
dead mans heirs before the settlement
Of the estate. The heirs. thinking that
the mine was something their relative
had neglected 70 tell them about. would
send some one to this country 10 look IL
up. Adams would get I'm communication
with the victim and establish a place Of
meeting. There the intended victim
would be shown two bars of what APP
peared 20 be gold and told TO bore into
them with an anger The filings would
be melted down and then Adams. ac-
cording 10 the inspector. would deftly
palm the button OF brass that came
from the filings and substitute for it "a
button OF genuine gold. The victim
would get a report from the assayer that
The button was pure gold and then he
would at once want TO buy the mine
Another man. planted in a. nearby city
would come on I'm response TO "A teIe-
gram and pose as the mine owner of an
ADJOINING piece Of property. He was
willing 10 sell, but wanted money at
once TO seal the again The amount
varied from 5000 e. 600 After the
deed had been delivered the victim
would sail for ENGLAND with two HAIRS
Of brass.