Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1917-11-15
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER Is, 1917
CHAIN LETTER FRAUDS

AhAlN LEI EN- L MA ODC
What appears to be nationwide
fraud, said to have been under inves
tigation by the postoffice department
for some time, is found to have en-
braced this section. The affair, as old
as the tower of Pisa, is nothing other
than the chain letter scheme.
It seems that man in Seattle, Wash,
who goes by the name of l.. Merits,
started the chain and generously con-
scented to receive and disburse, all the
funds. The plan is to raise funds, in
big gobs of $4,000 through each set
of letters, for the purpose of estab
fishing in France hospital for the
treatment Of Faces deformed in war
fare.
Following is one of the 'chain let
tiers" received by citizen here.
Dear sir:
AN APPEAL TO AMERICAN
BUSINESS MEN: France helped US
tremendously. Let us help her now
This chain is for the purpose of
founding a special hospital in Paris
for the wounded in face and jaw.
Your help is needed Immediately in
the great work of resoring horribly
mutilated faces ard therby permit
ting the unfortunate to to continue
for the remainder of their lives with as
little Disagreement as possible.
For every $4,000 raised by the
American National Committee the
American Red Cross will give $4,000
II cash, with which one hundred beds
will be established and maintained.
Please make four copies of this let
ter andsend them to your friends,
number each of the four one higher
than the number at the top of this
page.
Send this letter and twenty-five
cc4ts preferably in stamps) to Mr.. l..
Me2ritts, French Consul, P. O. Box
1871, Seattle, Washington This
gentleman has agreed to centralize
the fund.
This chain will end with No 100.
Those receiving that number should
make no. copies of the letter, but
merely send twenty five cents as above
KINDLY Do NOT BREAK THE
CHAIN. To do so would work hard
skip en- this humanitarian cause.
Yours very truly,
Now recently, resident of Blue
field, w. Va, in writing his allotted
quota Of four letters appealing for
contributions to this noble object, sent
one to a friend in Washington, who
happens to be very high officer in
the federal government. Here's what
ne got in reply:
NDear -: tss ta,-
"Your letter of October 80 causes
me great pain, chiefly because Of the
doubt 1t creates as to your sanity. ]
had earnestly hoped that with ad-
vancing years and wisdom you had
learned that the proper place for all
chain letters is in the waste basket
which destination awaits your favor
at this moment
perhaps you may derive some com
Tort from knowing that | received an
identical communication from the
Honorable of
Morgantown, and it was my pleasure
to address to him a letter of pater-
nal admonition such as this which |
am now preparing for your
Il took occasion at the time to in
vestigate this letter through the Red
Cross headquarters and learned that
the statement that for every $4,000
raised by the American National Com
mittee, the American Red Cross will
give $1,000 is absolutely untrue and
unauthorized; and also that Mr.. l..
Merrltts, of Seattle, Wash, Who SO
kindly tenders his services as the CEN
trailer of the fund, was forced some
time ago to leave Seattle under sus-
plcious circumstances. / may add,
further, that the matter is now in the