The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-07-17
TRADE CROOKS USE
WEALTHY NAMES
TO secure CREDIT
Impersonate Legitimate Dealers
and Get Thousands in
Stolen Goods.


Stolen Goods.
BY International News Service.
NEW YORK, July 17.---A warning
against crooks who have been using
the names Of well-rated merchants to
obtain merchandise has been issued
by j. II. Tregoe. executive secretary Of
the National Association OF Credit
Men, when he sent a message to the
$4,000 manufacturers. wholesalers and
bankers who are members of that in.
stitution.
Mr.. Tregoe announced that the in
vestigation. prosecution department OF
his association has just inaugurated q
countrywide campaign to block the
latest move made by professional COM
mercial swindlers who have already
obtained valuable goods by trading on
the names OF large concerns. Some OF
the merchandise obtained by the trade
crooks has been recovered by the as
ISOLATION.
Business Loses $500. 1000
Manufacturers. wholesalers and job
bers are warned against shipping mer-
chandise to applicants for credit mere
ly upon rating, without obtaining q
credit report, which. in addition TO
showing the antecedents Of the appli-
cants, would give their correct ad-
dress. Even though the houses high.
ly rated are perfectly good. credit
grantors should make sure that the
persons applying for credit are really
connected with the houses rated and
not trading under the same name at a
different address. These swindlers ap.
ply for credit and refer to rating books
regarding their ability to pay. Find.
ing the rating to be satisfactory. the
seller ships the goods to the address
given by the applicants, who maintain
f1y-by-night headquarters, which aften
are on the same street as are located
the quarters of the regular merchants.
Mr.. c. ID. West. manager of the
Investigation Prosecution Depart
ment, Is determined TO end the new.
est move made by these swindlers,"
says Mr.. Tregoe's statement. FOL.
lowing an extensive investigation,
Mr.. West reports that business has
been mulcted of at least 100000
through this practice"
\ Wants Heavy Penalty.
Mr.. West. who achieved considera.
BILE fame recently when he exposed .
scheme whereby commercial crooks
trained cats to set fires. in an inter
view today said:
a. off
have secured the conviction of these
commercial crooks. the courts will
impose adequate sentences. Some Of
the professional swindlers against
whom we have secured indictments
have received trifling sentences.
These commercial crooks are really
more dangerous to society than petty
thieves such as pickpockets and
shoplifters. as their loot represents
many thousands of dollars. These
dishonest men are thoroughly organ
ICED and have sufficient funds with
which to carry on their crooked or
erations and work under master
minds who furnish the outlet for the
merchandise obtained. They use
sucker lists containing the names
Oh IuTns VINO are not CAUTIOUS enough
in granting credit. Commercial crime
Is In large measure new to the
courts and is not well understood by
prosecutors or by Judges. At the
present time we have a large nu -
Der OF cases pending in the courts
which have been delayed due to the
congestion therein.
Credit Secured by Impersonation.
sv
business have been reflected in an
increase of crime. Commercial
crime has not increased proportion
ately to social crime. but it has in
creased, as shown IN the brief sta
tistics we offer above. IL was but
natural to expect some outburst Of
commercial crime when morals gen
orally had lowered. This does not
impeach the value Of the department
as a preventive of crime. Our or
ganization believes the absence Of
such a protective department would
have been reflected In a much larger
increase of commercial crime than
credit has had to contend with in
the past twelve months.
Ter. Of New Haven, Conn, started
operations In Cincinnati at 500
Main street. under the name OF
Glanzberg. in so doing impersonat-
ing one I. Glanzberg, of sos Broad
way, Cincinnati. He ordered mer-
chandise in large quantities through
the mails. These orders were filled
promptly by credit men under the
| impression that they were extend.
ing the credit to l. Glanzberg, the
we'll rated merchant, at 500 Broad
way Nadel was arrested April q.
along with his confederate, Abe
| Garocoff. alias A. Garry, alias A.
levine, of Bridgeport, Conn. Both
are being held under $4,000 bail to
await the action Of the grand jury.
Sixteen Await Trial.
The merchandise on being received
was Immediately shipped by mail and
American Railway Express to the
home of Louis Nadel in New Haven,
Conn. at which place His wife was To-
Gated, having in her possession large
| q A.