The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-06-23
Thousands Are Being Fleeced
 Officials Say
By HAhnA WARD.


 Washington, June 23-The Amer1- can public is being nuuldoed of many | thousands of dollars annually by | sharpers who use the mails to lure 1 their victims. SleuthS of the Post | Office Department are continually un- earthing these schemes of getting money from the unsuspecting public | through false pretenses, but by the | time the Department issues a fraud or ! der denying the use of the mails the
 bird has flown with many easy dol l lars of gullible persons.
 "Of course these gullibIe people are | to blame for losing their money on i schemes that are so obviously swim l dle, but apparently they never learn, said a veteran post office inspector. 'Eyery day we turn up some new swindling scheme that is worked through the mails and generally we find that a scheme is so bare-faced that a scho olboy could see the trick | cry in it. It is, human trait to want to get something for nothing, arm of the Post Office Department reaches out and puts an end to one of these swindHng schemes the trick ster who worked it cheerfully pro- ceeds to work out another plan and under another name he sets his net to again luI1e the unwary. Its a great game if you don't weak said another inspector, who added that there must be many sim pile minded people to fall for these "easy money schemes.
 Fraudulent Schemes Unearthed.
 One of the boldest fraudulent schemes unearthed by post office in specta7s had its origin in Toronto, Canada, and met with unbounded suc- cess for a time because the peopde who responded to the advertisement thought they had found a way to circumyent Volstead law. The rec ord showed that one Paul Morgan, cliaming to be American citizen, \ went to Toronto and prepared a cir cIIlar letter. which he mailed to nu- m country. circular enticingly headed Mor- gan's Pure Canadian Rye, the bever- motors of the scheme. for introduc- tory purposes" guaranteed to safeay-s deliver to your address anywhere in the United States, through our Amer ican agency, all charges prepaid, in plain, sealed, original package, nothing added oh taken away, Mergan'S pure rye ,unadulterated, 100 per cent pure. at SIS per case of twelve full quarts, S1O for a half case, or $5 for three i full quarts for a tria1.' Safe de- livery was guaranteed within ten days after receipt of order, 'tproV1dinB you order now-'
 Product is Explained.
 When Morgan was interviewed by the postal authorities he admitted that the product he sold consisted Of "a case of twelve pasteboard cartons. quart size, of the ordinary rye ber- ry," and that directions would bo printed on the cartons on how to roast this berry, which. after grinding, was to be used as coffee.'' In other words, Morgan, for SIS per case. in- dinary rye grain, which would be at the rate of $4S per bushel.
 The scheme was so manifestly frau- ulent that Postmaster General Work imm ediately issued a fraud order against Morgan, denying him the use of the mails.
 Over in Germany some bright minds conceived the idea of selling gullible Am erTcans product from which. they claimed Madeira, Malaga Mo selle. ponk, Rhine, sherry and tokay sample of the product was obtained through the American consul at Mu- mich and was submitted to the bureau of chemistry of the Department of Agriculture for analysis. The bu- reau reported that it was impossible from the ingredients contained in the any kind. A fraud order was inn mediately issued against the parties engineering the scheme.
 Women are Victims.
 Many women were quick to take qdvantage of ar an offer of ..,,r31 firm in lasts.'' ten yards of silk for s1. You can use this in making a fancy waist" fancy dress. or for silk cushions the offer read. Those who sent in $1 for 8 sample ten yards,' were chagrined to receive in return ten yards of silk thread valued at about ten cents. A fraud order denying the concern the use of the mails put an end to the scheme.
 Harry Kink.. operating Kings hatch cry, in Cleveland, received more than $30,000 in payment for day-old E chicks before the authorities stepped in and stopped the wholesale fraud. He advertised day-Old chicks to bo furnished after a specified date, at .Jrices ranging from S3.10 for twenty chicks, depending upon the particular stock desired. As a matter of fact, the postal auth critics claim King did not in any instance intend to furnish chicks but appropriated the money he received to his own use without n1ak- ing any return therefor. While the police we're looking over Kings mea- ger hatchery he slipped out through 8. back door and is now fugitive.
 Negroes Also Respond.
 Thousands of negroes, many af- rh euTnatism and other complaints. re- sponded to the advertisements of Dr. Walden H. Cohn," negro, for Keys to the Kingdom" a small pamphlet of thirty-four pages, for which he asked s1O. The Eanphlet is divdd- ed into so-cal1ed lessons and is a rambling, illogical dissertation of which an attempt is made to cover such subjects as The Mind" Mind Conscious Manifestation" etc.
 By his manner of advertising" says the official report barring him from the mails, "Cohn lures sick per- sons into the belief that by some power inherent in Keys to the Kingdom" their troubles can be removed and that success in every line will follow. It is shown that Conn has succeeded in. securing many thousands of dollars from poor and iIIiterate persons of the cdlored race. In fact, Cohn infoUned the officials that during the first six months of - business he sold 500 booklets at $1o each.
 The old saheme of offering a prize of a beautiful one-half carat blue white Mexican diamond of great bril- Iiancy and rainbow hue" if S1.48 is together with the correct an- E sweEc to a puzzle of the simplest char aycter bobs up every day with new he.l,ir,d nd is iIlEt nllicl=