It was then brought to my knowledge that these parties continued their business, and that threats had been made against myself personally by those connected with this firm.

I then resolved to find the man Simpson. Previous experiences had informed me of a Simpson who had been connected with some of Pattee's schemes, and who then was a printer. Application at the New York Post Office disclosed the fact that a prominent criminal lawyer and ex-United States Official had identified Simpson to the postal authorities, but no one at the Post Office knew where this man Simpson could be found. Application made to the gentleman who identified him, disclosed the whereabouts of Simpson. I found him a hard working industrious man, who had been led into this matter on the promise of having all the printing done by this concern, and a certain percentage of the profits. He informed me that he had been given $50 by this firm to go to this lawyer, and have him go and identify him to the Post Office authorities.

This man was in the habit of going to the office of Simpson & Co. once a day, at a certain hour, and signing the firm name for registered letters. Also of drawing the money orders at the Post Office. He, in fact, had placed himself in a position of assuming the responsibility of the acts of Pattee & Barrett, under their firm name. They paying him for the use of his name by giving him their printing at liberal prices. Mr. Simpson, in order to free himself from any complicity in this swindle after it was exposed to him, signed an order directing the Postmaster to send all letters addressed to Simpson & Co. back to the writers, where their addresses appear on the outside of the envelope, and the balance to the dead letter office.

Thus was actually closed up a scheme that was yielding, it is believed, not far from $1,000 a day profit to these parties.

In a few days after this, Pattee called at my office to make, as he said, a friendly call. After exchanging the courtesies of the day, I informed him that I was about calling upon him at the office of

HEATH & CO.

He seemed very much surprised, and wanted to know what was the matter. I told him the trouble was, that he was swindling people in the same manner that Simpson & Co. had been doing, by getting their money and making no return whatever for it.

This firm had been in existence several months at 1227 Broadway. Their business was almost identical with that of Simpson & Co., the difference being in the name of the firm.

Their method of advertising, however, was quite different, being done on a postal card, which we give below.

Office of HEATH & CO., Bankers and Stock Brokers.

NEW YORK, Nov. 20th, 1879.

Dear Sir-Our New Financial Circular, containing a full list of all Counterfeit Bank Bills, will be sent free to any address, on application. It contains "Two Unerring Rules for Making Money Rapidly."

Persons in all parts of the country are realizing large profits on investments of $10 to $1000 in legitimate stock speculations. $300 to $500 are frequently made in a day on one hundred shares of stock. Send for a copy of paper which explains everything. Address HEATH & CO.,

1227 Broadway New York.

This concern, after Simpson & Co. suspended operations, moved down to No. 8 Broad Street, quite near the reputable banking house of Wm. Heath & Co., whose name and reputation they were trading upon.

Before Pattee left the office he had addressed a polite note to the postmaster, directing him to dispose of Heath & Co.'s mail in the same manner in which he had disposed of Simpson & Co.

In concluding what we have to say concerning this class of swindlers, and others advertising schemes of stock operations, it may be interesting to know the names of those who have been advertising and sending out circulars, as well as the particular title of the scheme these parties operated:

ADAMS, BROWN & Co., "Mutual Capitalization."
T. POTTER, WIGHT & Co., " Stock Privileges."
BRADLEY & CO., "Combination of Capital."
SIMPSON & CO., "Special Combinations."
LAWRENCE & Co., "Combination Method."

EVARTS, BARNES & Co., "The Syndicate System."

D. & Co., " Protective Margin Operations in Stock."
C. & Co., "Mutual Stock Operating Co."

SMALLEY & GALE, "Special Stock Syndicate."

H. & Co., "New York Syndicate."

RAYMOND & Co., "Puts and Calls."

HERRICK & Co., "Pooling of Stocks."

E. W. WARD & Co., "Put, Call, Spread and Double Privilege in Stock." HECKLING & Co., "Stock Brokers."

CHAS. FOXWELL & Co., "One Per Cent. Margin Syndicate."

In all, twenty-three different concerns have been suppressed, and their business stepped.

We have taken the principal men in this business. There are others that are equally as fraudulent, whose operations have not yet been arrested; but none that are as extensive as those we have named.

From the writer's knowledge of the operations of those who pretend to invest small sums of money in stock operations, he would say to every person who thinks of sending money for that purpose to New York, or any other large city: unless you desire to lose your money, keep it in your own possession! It is extra hazardous to put money for speculation into the hands of a stranger, whom you have never seen.

I look upon any broker, who advertises by circular, in the same manner that I regard the quack, who sends out a medical pamphlet. No reputable physician would recognize such practice as legitimate or professional. So any reputable broker discountenances that kind of advertising.

Many of this class seek to overcome the growing prejudice against all this kind of advertising, by sending personal letters: and these communications, which come unsolicited, are always to be regarded as very suspicious, the same as a printed circular, and should be subjected to a very thorough investigation before any funds are entrusted to them.

Others secure the names of parties and send a night message by telegraph, announcing some very active stock and recommending that money be forwarded them at once to enable them to make up their combination.

for

Of all such beware. Do you for one moment suppose that any such person, even if he had made a bona fide deal in stock you, is going to lose by the operation? Not so. He does not go to the expense of telegraphing to two or three hundred persons a week, because he is an unselfish mortal, having a large heart, and desirous of serving his fellow-man. No, not he. He is after other people's money, and out of it he expects to meet the expenses of office rent, clerk hire, stationery, house rent, and live handsomely besides. Your loss is his gain.

CHAPTER VI.

BOGUS MINING COMPANIES.

We now come to a new species of fraud. And in order to present J. M. Pattee and his numerous schemes to deceive and defraud the public, in their regular order, let us go back a few years.

J. M. Pattee is a man of 55 or 60 years of age. His hair and whiskers are gray. He wears eye-glasses, being near-sighted, and when under any pressure or excitement he talks very fast. He is a remarkably nervous man, and seems to be always in fear; having at times a wild, frightened look, as though he expected to be arrested every moment. As illustrating this, an amusing incident may be recited that occurred at Saratoga last summer.

I was called there to address a meeting of the members of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, then in session. As most of the hotels were closed I joined friends who were stopping at the Everett House. I had no thought of seeing Pattee, not knowing that he was there, but on ascending the steps of the east porch which led to the office of this hotel, my friends and myself were greatly amused to see Pattee jump up, run like a deer, and disappear from sight. He was in the act of drawing a check to pay a woman for vegetables that she had just brought to the hotel, when on looking up he espied me at the further end of the porch, and without any ceremony he darted through the house, and I, seeing his movements, walked in quickly, and out through the office, and arrived on the west porch just in time to see him fleeing down Main Street, as hard as he could run. It required a great deal of persuasion on the part of his partner to induce him to come back to the hotel, and it was not until after his partner had received positive assurances from myself, that I was not after Pattee, that he could be induced to return to the hotel, and to the bosom of his family, who occupied an adjoining