"This contract will be in force two months from date.

"No member of Congress shall be admitted to any share herein, or any benefit to arise therefrom.

"In witness whereof the undersigned place their hands and seals:

After reading the document, the extraordinary appearance and phraseology of which failed to excite in his inexperienced mind any suspicion of its genuineness, the victim signed the paper both for himself and for his father-in-law as attorney. Worms also appended his own euphonious name as "inspector."

Here it fortunately occurred to the youth, who was about to risk so much on the venture, that he ought to keep a copy of the instrument for future reference, and he accordingly made a verbatim transcript as exhibited above. He even had the discernment to see that "executive mention" should have been written "executive m-a-n-s-i-o-n," and that "Tis" before articles should have been "these." On hazarding the bold criticism, he was told that as a foreigner drew up the paper, such mistakes were liable to occur.

It is proper to remark, in passing, that contracts for Indian supplies are never made either by the secretary or assistant secretary of the interior. The affair submitted by Worms. bears about as much resemblance to one of the genuine forms as the Choctaw language bears to Sanscrit. That a tolerably intelligent man was duped by so transparent a cheat illustrates that perennial marvel-the capacity of human nature for being humbugged.

The landlord, happy in the contemplation of prospective

SEALING THE ENVELOPE.

395

wealth, proceeded to draw off his boot in which the five thousand dollars had been placed for safe-keeping. The money with the contract was inclosed in the envelope directed to "U. S. Grant, Washington, D. C.," and sealed in the usual

manner.

Worms suggested, that, owing to the great value of the

"Dat be not necessary,' answered the captain, gyrating around the table."

inclosure, the envelope should be sealed in five places with wax. The proposition favorably struck his companion, who stooped over to draw on his boot preparatory to going for the material, and remarked, "I suppose I shall have to step down to the office for it."

"Dat be not necessary," answered the captain, gyrating

around the table; "I has such frequent use for dem tings in sealing official documents that I always carry dem wid me;" at the same time drawing a piece of wax from his pocket, and passing it to his companion, who at this juncture had just completed the process of pulling on his boot.

Together they sealed the envelope in five places, each seal being impressed with a private stamp carried by the operator, not only for greater security, but also, as he alleged, to insure instant attention at the White House. The missive was then taken to the post-office by the unsuspecting dupe, and duly registered, the receipt bearing date November 20, 1875.

The same day the contractor and his patron proceeded to New York, and took quarters at the St. Denis Hotel, registering under assumed names at the suggestion of Worms, to avoid annoyance from dealers in Indian supplies, who would be sure to overrun him the moment they learned he was in the city. On Monday, the 22d, the captain went down town alone to deposit the check for two hundred thousand dollars, received with other papers already enumerated through the post-office at Philadelphia. On returning he exhibited on a printed form what purported to be a certificate of deposit from the sub-treasury for the full amount.

As the victim was thoroughly plucked, the time had now come for shaking him off. Accordingly, by the advice of the "inspector," he proceeded in hot haste to Boston to examine certain goods required under the terms of the contract, the captain remaining behind to await the arrival of important papers from the department. Not long after reaching "the Hub," he received the following dispatch:

"Things mixed. Return to

"NEW YORK, Nov. 23d, 1875. Will meet you there.

"C. W."

On receipt of the telegram, the newly-fledged dealer in Indian supplies returned home to resume the humble round

THE LETTER AS RECEIVED.

397

of cares from which, as he fondly hoped, the magnificent projects of his benefactor were soon to emancipate him. A few days later he was instructed, if not cheered, by an autograph note, whereof the following is a copy:

"NEW YORK, November 27.

"FRIEND N-in short, evere thing will be all wreight; don't bodder your selfs. Tell K-- that evere thing will be setlet in short compliment to gus. "Yours truly

"CAPTAIN
"W

"P. S. I leave for W. to neight, and from there God nows were; I think Chicago."

Meanwhile a registered letter of the official size, postmarked Philadelphia, Nov. 20, and imposingly sealed with wax in five places, arrived by due course of mail at the Executive Mansion. When opened, it was found to contain nothing but twenty or more strips of newspaper cut promiscuously from the sheet, without reference to continuity of matter, and bearing no obvious relation to each other; no writing whatever accompanied the clippings by way of explanation. The inclosure was examined by the President and his secretary, and was supposed to have been sent by some crazy person, as somewhat similar missives previously received had been uniformly credited to freaks of insanity.

Having waited a month in vain for the coming of Worms, and hearing nothing from either contract or money, the hotel proprietor reluctantly reached the conclusion that "things were mixed," and dispatched a friend to Washington to see the President, and learn, if possible, the fate of the five thousand dollars.

When General Grant learned the real character of the mysterious letter received several weeks before, he took the steps already referred to for the discovery and apprehension of the

swindler, directing that the chase should be vigorously pushed. The chief special agent immediately telegraphed to Mr. Thos. P. Shallcross, an officer of great experience and skill, to come on and take charge of the investigation. Mr. Z. L. Tidball was also specially deputized to co-operate with him in the work. In the presence of these gentlemen the representative of the victim carefully went over the entire ground, again repeating the story as communicated to him.

It was his opinion, based on the information received from his principal, that Worms had a confederate either in the Philadelphia or Washington post-office, through whose connivance a spurious letter was substituted for the genuine. The prospective contractor maintained that so sharp was his watch that the trick could not have been performed in the interval between the inclosure of the money and the time when he took the letter from the room to be registered. The officers thought differently, but none the less explored every possible theory, putting conjecture to the test of fact.

In the absence of definite data, they reasoned that a swindler who operated with so much adroitness on a scale of such magnitude would be prepared to execute every part of the scheme without recourse to an accomplice, particularly as success depended far more on the credulity of the victim than on the intricacy of the imposture. A needless copartnership would diminish the profits and enhance the chances of discovery. Besides, there was a strong antecedent improbability that a cheat would make a corrupt and felonious arrangement with a postal registry-clerk, in prospect of a contingency so unlikely to arise.

All the facts as developed justified the first conceptions of the officers. The letter was mailed in the busiest part of the day, when numbers were waiting their turn at the window. It was inclosed with half a dozen others in the packet for Washington, which was duly sealed with wax, and dispatched by the first mail. Several employés of unquestioned integrity were present during the entire process.