The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-09-18
Apparent Attempt at Fraud
Frustrated at West
Mortified
BUTTER AND EGGS
ADVERTISED LOW
Man and Woman Took to Woods When
Postmaster Bufum Required Proof of
Identity-Large Number of Letters
Containing Money

ldentlty-Large Number of Letters
Containing Money
Registered letters and other letters
IN large number await the identified
ton Of the addressee in the West
Northfield, Mass, postoffice, and a man
who called for them last night and a
woman who accompanied him, We're last
seen beating it for the woods half
mile south of the postoffice, an Off
Ger and others in pursuit. Therein
hangs tale, based on an old-time
fraud-which failed to work at the last
stage because of the alertness of Post
master f. B. Buffum.
The letters, all of which are supposed
to contain money, ars numerous. Just
how numerous the postmaster declines
to state. When asked over the tele-
phone today Postmaster Buffum said:
There are a large number of
them. Further than that nothing
could be learned as to the number or
the amount of money, which Is in 81
and ~ bills.
j \ few days ago there appeared in a
Boston newspaper, perhaps more than
one paper. a two and a half-inch adj
vertisement which apparently was in
tended for the perusal of gullible in
diyiduals, and as it concerned the high
cost of living il touched a widely re-
sponsiye chord. It offered butter and
eggs AT greatly reduced prices and was
signed &c E. Munzy, South Vernon,
Vermont. West Northfeld. Mass.
is just over the Ine from South Yer
non. and both places form one com
munity. the postoffice being West
Mortified.
The aforesaid advertisement read as
follows: Butter and Eggs by Parcel
Post. Seven halfpound prints of best
country butter direct from the farm to
your table in specially prepared boxes
for 81. Eggs-Three and one-half
dozen, and none over three days old
when they reach you. every egg dated,
guaranteed free from breakage, 81.
| wish to establish a regular line of
customers and | make these prices at
tractive for that reason. Remember,
the quality of the goods and the prices
viii remain the same, year in year out.
Put a one dollar bill in your letter and
be sure to write your address plainly.
Delivery guaranteed. and Your money
back without question if you ask for
it after using either butter or eggs.
g. Z. Munzy, South Vernon, Yer
mont
The writer of the advertisement
must be given credit for putting it up
in good form. but he failed to reckon
with the citizens brought up in the
. farming community Of West North
field. who know a good offer from a
, fraud when it comes to farm products.
Postmaster Buffum saw the adver-
tisement and became suspicious. He
was all the more suspicious when he
read the name sc +. Munzv,' = be-
cause he never had heard the name be-
fore and, being postmaster, he would
J know if there was any such person
in his community. Such prices were
unheard Of in this year 1913. A half
+ pound print Of butter is worth in this
locality Is cents. In the city it brings
l9 or 20 cents. Seven prints at is
cents would come to 1926 but here
was Munzv' offering them for ST.
+ Fresh eggs are worth here 40 cents a
: dozen, or $40 for three and halt
a dozen. for which 9 Munzy was charg
e ing ST.
r, In view of all these facts Postmas
e ter Buffum began laying plans. Or
& Monday morning the letters containing
q Tuesday, and they have been coming
L
II mails We're being used for the pur
N poses of fraud, and Mr.. Buffum got il
! touch with postoffice officials
y Last night a man and woman
j arrived in West Northfeld on til,
train from Keene. \. H., went to tn,
IS postoffice and called for any mai
which might be there for Sc +. Nun
= ~. Postmaster Buffum explained tha
= inasmuch as the man was a strange
i he would have TO prove his identit,
st before he could get the mail. This tn
I'd man said he would do, and after SOM
at conversation started for the door, hi
-h pace indicating that it was not saf
for him to stick around long. II
and the woman hurried down the roai
and Mr.. Buffum put Deputy Sherii
Fred Watson of Mortified on thei
trail
ts When about half a mile from tn
postoffice the couple apparently learn
ed that they We're being followed, a
he they left the highway and disappeare
pt in the woods in the darkness. A post
~ office inspector has arrived on tn
n scene, but up TO noon today the coupl
to had not been caught.
The man is described as % wear
old, feet : inches tall, of sandy con
pleXion, smooth face, wearing a cal
+. glasses and brown suit. He woul
% weigh about 135 pounds. The woma
IS was shorter and apparently a littl
IL younger and wore a white shirt-wais