Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1877 — A Clever Swindle. [ARTICLE]

A Clever Swindle.

Tho perpetrators of a late and very clever swindle are alleged to be an old and young man whose names have not been ascertained, and who claimed in the interest of their operation to hail from North Carolina. They visited a leading commission house and proposed to consign to it a cargo of spirits of turpentine and like products which was then loading at a given place in North Carolina, but the “ given place” not being found on a map of that State, produced some confusion and the would-be consignors did not farther prosecute their business with that firm, but with Charles Smith & Co., 7 Central wharf, where, it is asserted, Mr. Smith agreed to receive the cargo on consignment. The sharpers said they wanted no money, but only a chance to dispose of the goods. ■ln a few days, or about a fortnight ago, tho firm received a letter postmarked North Carolina, containing a bill of lading for 150 barrels of turpentine and a quantity of tar, and the information that it had cleared for Boston. The next move was for the young roan to install himself at Smith’s office as his headquarters. He would drop in for a few moments every morning, read the papers, talk a little and depart. Four or five days after the receipt of the bill of lading the young man was in the office as usual, reading the papers, when he suddenly exclaimedf: “ Ah, our vessel has arrived, I see, with a cargo consigned to Charles Smith & C 0.,” apparently reading from the paper. None of the firm took pains to inquire whether such a vessel had arrived or not. The next day a roughlooking and apparently a seafaring man came into the office and announced himself as the Captain of the vessel. He drew from his pocket a huge pocketbook, well filled, and produced a bill of lading exactly similar to the one received by mail. The Captain said he had a deckload of lumber which he would discharge at Chelsea and immediately return and put in at a neighboring'wharf. The driving rain outside again prevented an investigation or an examination of the truth or falsity of the statements made. Now was the time to strike, and the young man in bland tones suggested that an advance on the cargo would be acceptable. Report does not say how much he got, but places the figure above SI,OOO, the truth or falsity of which statement could not be learned. At all events, the young man was seen no more, and after four or five days of suspense seafeh was made for the vessel, but no trace of it could be found, and the firm had to admit that had been cleverly “ done.” —Boston Journal.