The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03


week and thirty days after the last
shipment l was to receive the money
fer the wine. The entire contract
was to be billed as one lot and the
invoice was to be sent after the last
shipment had been made. He told me
that if l desired to communicate
with him. / should address, the letters
to the station where the wine was
to be deItVered-a place called SouCy,
about ten miles outside of Paris. Al
ready l have made enc shipment and
have another one in preparation to
so forward this week. / trust that
there is nothing wrong with the or
der, major?"
Il am very sorry Mr.. Levy" I re-
piled, but l am much afraid You
have been swindled."
This was a severe blow to Levy.
The loss of that first five carload
lot of wine would spell disaster tt
his balance sheet for some time to
come. F'rahtically gesticulating, he
jumped up and, with tears in his eyes,
implored US to help him rescue his
"beloVcd Wine Unfortunately it
was not in our power to do this, as
the swiudiers had had plenty of time
to dispose of the first shipment. The
tnly thing We could do to protect him
from further loss And thus, what
we had considered as merely one
more idle rumor had developed into a
real problem which might. owing to
the delay, prove difficult to solve.
"of course now that You know
that all this is swindle,7 ! said
you VIII not ship any more wine.
No doubt when this crock sees that
the next shipment is not fnrthcom-
ing, he viii write YOU. All we can
do now is to sit tight until a letter
is received from him. and then we
VIII set a trap to catch the crook.
If YOU wish to assist us. at the same
time saving yourself worry, trouble
and money, you must remain abso-
| lutely silent. DO not breathe a
word of this conversation to any
/ ono. not even to your wife,
Four days after the second ship
ment of wine was due at SoucY,
Levy, greatly excited, came into the
office.
81 have received another letter
from that scCundreit he exclaimed.
Here it is. Now you can get him.
and he handed the letter to me.
The letter was written on the Of
fetal stationary of the American
quartermaster department and had
The official stamp affixed. ANY one
not knowing the circumstances would
without question have accepted the
letter rs genuine.
You are advised" l read, that
/ the shipment due four days age has
not arrived at Soucy, We must in
tract and make shipments on time,
/ Yeu VIII please advise when we may
j expect the next shipment" 1t was
singned III. b. Gordon, Purchasing
Agent, United States Army"
\ decoy letter was prepared, tell
ing Gordon that the delay had been
caused by the inability of the railroad
iefne. ~, pef - ebinment off WITHIN n
80 do,s tn lnttoy 1v,s ,,sf1ad 20
him ~ ea,,et. in rs.e of tbH station
AGENT after beinc hold over for a
do, ia o,,fler "a - Seree1r4 Picl,
$780,, in cft.ilian oiotbes a,,d ~
ran}naniod L., n t,rensb secret err
re nan rnebod to SoI,e1. rTbese two
y.orn To- laaf s',.o,,,d ~ +oSer l.conY
ina y cloee vatcb en- tto fail,.o5 Il
Stain and when tbe ewinl1e1 ca1leG
Tor tIn letter tbe,s were TO arraet
min,
@"t aiWaNs 90 plans work out as
anticipated. IN TINS case our work
went Tor hethlhE. Right under me
| noses ul THESE TWO men that letter
olS@ ppedhea' heS sWore mat no
| one even ialntly resembling Gordon
Haa GdIIed At the station YET one day
inc letter was there, peacefully re
p"slns on me ueSh' anu .he next Gay
u vas EoHe, ditiioush they naa re-
ina iheu IN the immediate vicinity OF
ele ga 'ioH uhli the aEeht haa lel'
Ioi 1ue Hlsnt. rom ms we sur
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t@p ne ;" !iu4eI
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rl.,,.,i5 % 10
a. ,+ fn, ai,,,1 - '"'- ~ ,
r1nre vire fnr I,o ro,iiyod IN, "I Ivy