Omaha daily bee., 1911-05-28

me pupllc coulun l lose-tt was to get the
lots free. Here was an offer that listened
better than gold mine. Where did these
men mar their money?
Giving Away Lots.
Every one of the lots given away meant
that the person accepting would have to
pay Tor the title-a mere bagatelle. Espe-
cially since the land itself was obtained
Tor nothing. The men conducting the do
nation parties employed a justice of the
peace not far from their mountain top. who
looked after all the deeds. The deeds were
printed by the thousand He charged $3.50
Tor each transaction. As fifty lots were
given away each day this meant S225 There
were approximately 400 lots in the tract
ana when all were disposed of II would
mean a clear profit of $780, BY the
tlrne the scheme got to working fine some
thing happened The government learned
that the mails were being used to defraud
There are many creditable companies that
buy up valuable land holdings in Texas
and western states and sell them in a
legitimate way. These reliable concerns
suffer because of the crook He will buy
Tor dollar an acre, perhaps. a big tract
OF alkali land and advertised that with
irrigation 1t may be made a veritable para
disc. Lawyers are hired to word the adver-
usements alluringy, without making the
company liable for violating the postal
laws. Goldbrickers have a greater fear
OF the federal law than that of the states
Goldbricking in land is only one of the
many modern methods. A Kansas CITY
doctor not long ago advertised an electric
machine which was an alleged cure for
catarrh and deafness The advertisements
stated that the cure was free All that
was necessary was for the patient TO write
ana medicine would be sent. Then when
the ailing person would write the doctor
would send blanks which were to be filled
After getting full description of the
disease-how long the patient had been
ailing, the number of times other doctors
had attempted to effect oure-the doctor
would write to his prospective patient that
the case was so complicated that mere
medicine would not cure it-"what Won
need is head cap" the letters would saw
And II you will agree to take my medicine
Tor two months at IS a month. will
furnish this head cap" In this wav the
doctor hoped to avoid contact with the
postal laws. He was surprised when ar
rest followed. Before the arrest his bust
ness had expanded to such an extent that
twenty-four stenographers were kept busy
constantly, and 1t was estimated that he
was making approximately $1,000 year.
The Diamond Trick.
Diamonds make big profits for crooks.
Last week two prosperous appearing men
entered Kansas City Jewelry store
I'VE would like to get a diamond"
The Jeweler ascertalned the size of stone
sought and displayed his wares This gave
the crooks chance to exchange a bogus
diamond for one of the good stones. The
trick would have succeeded had not
woman connected with the store seen the
exchanges She told the jeweler.
i have some blue ones here that think
you would like to see" the jeweler said as
he opened another drawer. He jerked out
an automatic revolver and pointed 1t at his
customers. at the same time demanding
restitution. The command was obeyed and
the crooks hurried away,
The Pinkertons recently had their at
tention called to new sebeme-croolrs
who work upon the butcher and the baker.
The first of the month when shop-
Keepers mail itemised accounts there are
men who watch for the mall carrier.
Perhaps these letters are pushed under
an office door or tossed into a mail box
Crooks have faculty OF knowing how to
remove such letters by means of a small
wire. Once the bill is In their possession
they call the butcher or baker by teIe-
phone. tell him that the account has been
received and that the office girl will be
sent down with a check
When girl appears at the butcher
shop with check to pay Mr.. Browns
bill, the butcher Immediately remembers
that Mr.. Brown called him on the tele-
phone Everything seems all right. The
check is made out for $40 more than the
bill and the girl is given the difference.
Nine times out OF ten this scheme will
work.
Easy Marks I'm Cities
George A. Leonard a postoffice inspec-
tor says that the old idea that farmers
are the readiest victims in the gold-brick
schemes is a wrong impression. Mr..
Leonard believes that the man in the city
working for a salary really gets fleeced
more than any other class They seem
ready always to put their money into an
alleged honanza-a fake mining scheme.
But mines do not offer the field for crook
edness of twenty years ago. The people are