—————
THE murder recently of a well-known sawdust swindler has had a detrimental effect upon the other men who made their living in the same way. The old methods had to be abandoned, but recent reports from all parts of the West show that they have flooded a good many towns with new circulars. The popular form of swindle, up to last August, was by working the “panel game.” The first move of sawdust men is to secure the list of the names of people who were regular subscribers to lotteries and various gift-book concerns. People who go into those things will be pretty sure to bite on another scheme. When the list has been duly studied, agents are sent out all over the country to look up the history of the most promising ones. This done, a circular is mailed to each man, which runs something as follows:
Mr. ———.
DEAR SIR: I will confide to you through this circular a secret by which you can make a speedy fortune. I have on hand a large amount of counterfeit notes of the following denominations: $i, $2, $5, $10 and $20. I guarantee every note to be perfect, as it is examined carefully by me as soon as finished, and if not strictly perfect is immediately destroyed. Of course it would be perfectly foolish to send out poor work, and it would not only get my customers into trouble, but would break up my business and ruin me. So, for personal safety, I am compelled to issue nothing that will not compare with the genuine. I furnish you with my goods at the following low price, which will be found as reasonable as the nature of my business will allow:
For $1,200 in my goods (assorted) I charge..................$100
For 2,500 in my goods (assorted) I charge.................. 200
For 5,000 in my goods (assorted) I charge.................. 350
For 10,000 in my goods (assorted) I charge.................. 600
Then follows advice to the verdant reader, impressing upon his mind that the gates of State prison are yawning for him, and that he must be very careful. He must send word two days before his expected arrival in this city, go to a hotel which is named and remain in his room until the manufacturer called upon him. This done, an agent sends up his card and devotes an hour to sounding the man, to see if he is fair game or an emissary from the police in disguise. If all promises well the man leaves, appointing the next day as the time for the bargain. On the day appointed the first caller drops in to the hotel and leads the stranger to the “factory.”
In a roughly furnished office, before a high desk at the wall, sits the principal operator, busily counting out a huge pile of crisp bills. They are fresh from the Government Treasury, and of all denominations. The countryman is introduced, explained the process by which the money can best be disposed of, and given general directions of how to avoid suspicion. Then the bills are exhibited. The man always protests that they are poor counterfeits and would never deceive him, but on the whole thinks they will do. The amount desired is carefully counted out and handed to the stranger to recount. They are then nicely done up in packages, each denomination by itself, and the whole carelessly tossed into a small leather gripsack. This done, the bag is laid on the top of the desk, while the “manufacturer” holds the attention of the stranger and lifts the lid of the desk in front of the bag. Half a dozen bonds are shown as a specimen of good counterfeiting, and the suggestion is made that after the money has been used the customer may take a fancy to handle some bonds also. While the two men are busy looking at the bonds, a confederate in the next room opens a slide or panel at the back of the desk and substitutes another satchel in the place of the one with the greenbacks. The customer is then handed the bag and hurries away, and the swindler closes up his office for a month or so and moves to- another similarly equipped establishment.
Since the panel trick became known the sawdust men have been forced to invent another device. Within the past few months they have issued a long circular, which contains a clipping supposed to be cut from a New York newspaper announcing that a full set of dies and plates has been stolen from the Sub-Treasury. This is the basis on which the circular is framed, and it claims that the writer has obtained stolen plates, from which the greenbacks are being struck off. The interesting circular ends with the following: “The slip will show you our officials in high standing have used them for their own purpose and benefit, and why not every one in need? Address, in confidence,” etc.
The purpose of the letter is to lead the one addressed to believe that the money offered is really genuine, being printed from the plates claimed to have been stolen from the Treasury. The same old scheme of conducting a man to a hotel and then to the “office” is used, but the panel trick is no longer worked. Instead, the “beer” or “horse-car” game is made use of. In the first case the purchaser is introduced to the sawdust man on the street, and to conclude the bargain the party adjourn to the nearest saloon. Stepping into a private room they take seats at a table and the money is exhibited. This done, the amount demanded is paid, and as the operator rolls the “goods” into a little red package and snaps an elastic band around it he calls for beer. But before they are handed over the appearance of the waiter alarms the sawdust man and he drops the package into his lap, with a wink at the customer. While the beer is being brought another red package is substituted from under the table, and the trick has been played. If the countryman is suspicious the greenbacks are dumped into a little leather satchel marked with a cut or scratch, and after being duly locked the key is handed to him. The party then board a car and in a few moments a clericallooking gentleman gets on, and with a bag precisely similar in marks, etc., to the one containing the “goods.” Of course the bags are changed and the purchaser is swindled. After the change has been made the sawdust men disappear.
Another scheme is explained by the following circular:
NEW YORK, June 11, 1886.
Dear Sir: No doubt when you receive this letter you will say it is some trap set for you to get you into trouble; but such is not the case. I promise you this, as true as there is a God in heaven, I obtained your name through a friend of mine who passed through your place, as this is all I know of you; and on my solemn oath I speak the plain, candid truth; and I swear before the Almighty God in heaven, my purpose is far from harming you either in word, look or action; and should you make up your mind to answer this letter, I will give you my word and honor that no person, man, woman or child, shall ever hear from my mouth the least thing that ever passed between us, and I will keep this promise as sacred as I would my oath before God in heaven.
I will be plain with you. I am dealing in articles, paper goods, is, 2s, 5s, 10s and 20s—(do you understand?) I cannot be plainer until I know your heart is true to me, then I will send you full and plain particulars that I mean you right, and will satisfy and convince you that I can furnish you with a fine, safe and profitable article, that can be used in any manner and for all purposes, and no danger. Now understand me fair and square; I ask no money in advance nor do I want it. I want to give you plain and positive proofs that, should I give you my assistance, I can and will help you out of any money or business troubles you may be in, and no matter to what extent; and no power on the face of God’s earth need ever be the wiser for it unless you betray me; and as my intentions are square and upright to you, and as I never have or will harm you by word, look or action, I ask you before heaven, as a man of honor and principle, not to expose or betray me. And if I have made a mistake in sending you this letter, I ask you to forgive me, and let the matter rest where it is, for my intentions are as upright to you as heaven itself, for a man can have honor and principle no matter what his business may be in this world, so do not harm me, for my motto in this life is and always has been, if you can’t do a fellow-being some good, do him no harm, no matter what his calling may be.
Now a word of advice in regard to this business. There are some unprincipled men in this city advertising goods the same as mine. But before God and man they are far from it. They will send you circulars and promise all kinds of things, and should you be foolish enough to send them money, that is the last you will hear of them or your money, and there are other firms here dealing in green goods of a very poor quality and not safe to handle. Now I am not writing this letter through malice or selfishness to get your trade, but to warn you against them should you at any time receive their circulars (as these people have their agents going from one State to another, getting storekeepers’ names, and in fact names of people in all kinds of business), and should make up your mind to write and place confidence in me, with a view of trading with me, I will take it as matter of honor and strict friendship between us, if you will notify me if these people send their circulars to you, as I will prove they are not reliable men to trade with, and this is the Almighty God’s honest truth, as I am the only person who can furnish you with a safe and profitable article that will stand a critical test, and I will prove each and every promise I have given you before I will expect or receive one dollar.
I will as a test of honor and confidence on your part request the return of this letter. I will then know you mean me no harm, for I will not answer any communications unless it is returned to me.
I will not deviate from this rule, and on my sacred oath and honor, before God and man, I will return yours.
Yours in honor and friendship.
Since 1869, the sawdust business has grown and prospered. The operators work carefully, their only fear being lest some detective be entrapped. The police have tried over and over again to get at the swindlers, and although they are known it is next to impossible to obtain proof against them. The victims refuse to appear against them, for the very fact of having had dealings with the sawdust men closes their mouths, for fear the transaction v/ould be made public. In this way the sawdust business goes on.