Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 263, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 November 1911 — CONFIDENCE GAME TRIED ON RENSSELAER MEN. [ARTICLE]

CONFIDENCE GAME TRIED ON RENSSELAER MEN.

in various parts of the U. S. and is a successor to. the ancient “gold brick” or “counterfeit” money game by which so many people from the rural districts were fleeced in other years. The letter is printed in script type to resemble writing and it is not uncommon for a dozen letters to be received at about the same time in larger cities. The letter was addressed: “United States, Scott, Harness Maker. Rensselaer, ' (Indiana). It reads: Dear Sir:

Although I know you only from good references of your honesty my sad situation compels me to reveal an important affair In which you can procure a modest fortune saving at the same time that of my darling daughter. Before being imprisoned here I was established as a Banker in Russia as you will see by the enclosed article about me of many english newspapers which have published my arrest in London. , I Jjeseech yon to help me to obtain a sum of 480,000 dollars I have in America and to come here the seizure of my luggage by paying, to the Registrar of the Court the expenses of my trial recover my portmanteaus containing a secret pocket where I have hidden the document indispensable to recover the said sum. , s ; v In reward I give up to you the third part vis 160,000 dollars. I cannot receive your answer in the prison but you must send a cablegram to- a person of my confidence who will deliver it to me. Awaiting your cable to instruct you in all my secret, 1 am Sir yours truly

Sadrowsky First of all answer by cable not by letter as follows: Ramon Guerra Calle Santander 10 V Valladolid (Spain) “Recibido encargo” ■ . Scott. Inclosed in the letter is a clipping which the writer represents to have been cut out of an English newspaper, but which is evidently printed up for the deception. This scheme of fraud has become familiar in many parts of the United States, but we believe this is the first of the letters to reach Rensselaer. Probably a great many*gullible people have been fleeced by the scheme. Evidently the pro* irtoters are following it with a great amount of profit or they would' not pursue It for so long a - period. It probably costs half a dollar to send out each letter. Should the party addressed make a favorable response by cablegram the next step is to induce the party to- send enough money to carry out the project of securing the man’s freedom. '-It the money is sent that is all that ever happens except that he is a big “suoker.” it is not certain where these people get their names, -OTT* in all probability the brain behind the scheme is an American one, and the names are probably gotten out -of a commercial rating book. It is so rank a fake that no intelligent person could fall for it It is so plausiblp and transparent that it is- a huge joke.