New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-08
MAN OF 81 VICTIM OF
GET-R|CH-QU|CK WISH
Aged BrookIynite Loses $1,000
to SWindIers on. Substitution
Box Trick.
DREW MONEY FROM BANK
On Realizing Loss Means World
Has No Use for an Old Man
Except to Hunger for
His Money.

HdLlCo " h1iOW 4GSl evening VI WlldL use
was a lonely old man in the world. The
two strangers who played a substitute
box game on him escaped. Detectives
Ditman and Dukeshire, of the Brooklyn
Detective Bureau, are trying to find
them.
Mr.. Jacobs is eighty-two years OLD
and lives at No 46S Sixth avenue
a cigar manufacturer at No PSI Cour:
street, that borough. eighteen years ago
He is so fond of reading poetry and Of
scribbling verses that in the neighbor-
hood of his home he is known as Mich
olas the Poet" Since the death of his
wife. nearly three years ago, he has
lived alone, though he has a daughter
Mrs. Rose Timroth, living at Fifth ave-
nue. and 59th street. South Brooklyn
She was formerly a school teacher, and
has several children.
Mr.. Jacobs goes to Prospect Park
every fine afternoon in summer About
a month ago. while he was sitting on {
bench in the park, a man whom he
| judged to be thirty five years old, clean
shaver, saIIow of complexion and vel.
dressed in a dark blue suit accosted
him The stranger said he was sorry to
hear that Mr.. Jacobs was afflicted with
rheumatism and that like the stranger
father, he should go to the Mount Glenn
ems springs in Michigan. The man said
he would send Mr.. Jacobs some pam
phlets about the springs.
Calls at Mr.. Jacobs's House.
Mr.. Jacobs thought nothing more Of
the stranger until he received the pam
phIets by mail, and then on Tuesday the
man called on Mr.. Jacobs. He said his
name was Brown, and that he was an
appraiser Of property for the German
Savings Bank. of Brooklyn. He and Mr.
Jacobs got talking about poetry and
Brown asked Mr.. Jacobs TO go to the
public library, at Sixth avenue and 9th
street. where the old man could get
some books on German poetry. The ref
erence TO his hobby had made Mr.
Jacobs enthusiastic. and the two started
for the library.
After the visit there Brown invited Mr..
Jacobs to go across the street. and led
the old man into a vacant house, where
they met g man of about ffty-fve.
beardless. with iron gray hair. we'll
groomed, suave, yet very businesslike in
manner
! We'll. Brown said this man, Il hope
you are a s thrifty as ever. You must be,
though. for you showed me that you
have $4,000 in the Kings County Saw
ings Bank
| Brown carelessIy answered that he had
added few more thousands to that
amount since he had seen his friend.
The latter then told Mr.. Jacobs that An
drew Carnegie was the worlds greatest
| benefactor and that Mr.. Carnegie's
greatest benefaction was the Carnegie
! Thrift Fund" Mr. Jacobs, who had
been thrifty all his life, became greatly
interested as the man eloquently pict-
ured the goodness of Mr.. Carnegie in en-
couraging thrift throughout the country.
PROPOSES Lottery TO Him.
And not only that" interjected
Brown. but Mr. Carnegie, in order to
encourage thrift, conducts lottery In
connection with the fund"
Then the man displayed a number OF
cards.
Each OF these cards is numbered and
bears the amount Of money to which
YOU would be entitled if you drew It."
he said Take a chance, Brown; you
did well the last time
The obIiging Brown drew a card after
his friend and shuffied them. 1t called
for $4,000. and Brown was so elated
that he wanted to divide the money with
Mr. Jacobs. but Browns friend said that
Mr. Jacobs first would have to prove
that he also was Of a thrifty disposition.
The talk led TO both men being invited
to accompany him to several Brooklyn
savings banks IN which he had deposits.
Browns friend said that this was neces-
sary. as he was under bonds of $4,000
+o safeguard the interests of the fund
Mr.. Jacobs, now fully impressed, drew
s.. 800 from the Dime Savings Bank. at
DeKaIb avenue and Fleet street. and
the same amount from the Brooklyn
Savings Bank. at Clinton and Pierre
mont streets Brown remained with Mr..
Jacobs, while the friend casually told
them that he was going to draw the
$4,000 which Brown had won from the
Kings County Savings Bank. He re-
turned with a package under his arm
and invited the other two TO return TO
the Sixth avenue house to make a set
Element. There the man unwrapped his
nackage. disclosing two tin cash boxes.
Ore of The Boxes,
Now. Mr.. Jacobs said he, 1T is dan
gerous for you to carry SO much money
about loosely; you'd better put IL in one
or these Boxes and take 1t home with
you"
Mr.. Jacobs placed his money and his
bank books as directed. and Brown then
s,gaqad him in conversation. The
friend did the rest. He told Mr.. Jacobs
that he would be ar his home at 4 O'Clock
with half of the $4,000 won by Brown
Mr. Jacobs waited and waited. and
when : o'clock came 1t dawned on him
.bs, he had been swindled. and he tried
70 omen the box Failing in this, he took
=. ~ the Fifth avenue police station.
c,,aned there the box was found TO con-
raj, some small stones wrapped in
naner Mr. Jacobs was stunned He
uas sent 10 the Brooklyn Detective Blu
rsa, where he told his story. adding:
at am old and lonely, and the world