Anonymous

“ The “green goods” men are still at their games, flooding the country with circulars and disposing of bags of rubbish at fabulous prices.
The revelations before the Lexow committee did not have the effect of driving the “sharps” into legitimate occupations. While the testimony was being given against them they kept in retreat in Jersey City, but even during the hearing of the “green goods” witnesses, “come-ons” were arriving in shoals at all the Jersey City depots, and the brick maker who supplies the swindlers at wholesale prices made his usual daily deliveries at their offices. ”

“ Some of the operators have been robbed lately by “come-ons.” So great has been the publicity [13] of the exposure of the business that it is hard to realize that there can be a single man in the country who could be gulled by it, but still hundreds of New Yorkers make a fat living off “green goods.” During the Lexow investigation a few of the Jersey City operators who did not know human nature very well thought that the end of the “green goods” trade had been reached, and that they would have to think up some new scheme for making a dishonest living. ”

“ A “come-on” is [11] frequently a wild looking being, with lengthy hair and an embarrassed manner, who continually falls over himself and gets buncoed or robbed before he reaches the swindlers to whom he morally belongs. “If he is a queer sight,” said an operator, “he won’t attract so much attention in Jersey City as he would in New York.”
Chief of Police Murphy told me the other day that there were many “green goods” men quartered in his bailiwick in temporary exile. They received visits from men who might be customers and who might be clergymen trying to convert them. ”

“ Some of the odd looking farmers who come from the central part of New York State, and who have never seen a piece of water so large that it could not be crossed by a bridge, are afraid to trust themselves to the ferryboats. As soon as they see the river they rebel, and positively refuse to leave dry ground. This necessitates a good deal of the business being done in Jersey City. Another reason for the selection of that town originally was the cheapness of police “protection” as compared with its cost in this city. ”

“ Every good thing has its imitation, and this includes money. Counterfeiting dates back to the old Greek and Roman times, and the despicable business has been kept up ever since, and probably always will be. In some countries the laws are so severe that the conviction of a maker or passer of spurious coin or bills means death. In America the punishment is usually a long term of imprisonment. ”

“ He intended to be dishonest, and if he complains to the police he will be liable to arrest. The swindlers have got his money, he has obtained the experience and goes home a sadder but wiser man.
This game is worked all the year around and it is astonishing how new “suckers” are obtained so readily. Police and post office officials use all sorts of methods to kill the business but their success is limited. The “green goods” men make large sums of money and live high. ”

“ Nevertheless people of dishonest tendencies seem to have a mania for wanting to “shove the queer,” and are desirous of going into the business extensively if they can only find a manufacturer of bad money who will supply them. ”

“ Probably you are not wealthy, but you can recall some others who have quite suddenly achieved wealth, and the public has never known just how. Mine is a money making method, and will enable you to acquire good cash by exchanging bank bills for coins, etc. ”

“ This demand has been the cause of establishing the trade popularly known as “green goods” business. The operators are usually in gangs, and they work scientifically. Perhaps you, respected reader, have received ere this a very confidential letter from one Johnson, or Bechtoldt, or Carruthers, or somebody else, (usually located in New York, Jersey City or Chicago) telling you about the “green articles” that they have to sell in denominations of “tens, twenties,” etc., and assuring you that they are “perfect in every respect.” ”

“ If they have really become converts to religion the business they have gone into is probably that of guides, for they are seen meeting strange looking men with chin whiskers, wide hats, carpet bags and agricultural boots at the trains. ”

“ A circular is sent to postmasters in out-of-the-way towns where the level of intelligence is supposed to be very low, informing them that the writers have become possessed of a large quantity of postage stamps, and are waiting for a chance to sell them at from thirty-five cents to fifty cents on the dollar, according to the quantity taken. ”

“ The city rascal doesn’t even need to wink at the bartender to cause the latter to drug the drink, as he is well paid by the gang, and before the countryman and the city rascal have got far Mr. Wayback begins to feel stupid, and can be easily induced to go anywhere his leader suggests while they are “trying the counterfeit money.” However, the bills are just as good as gold, being absolutely genuine, and the “dealer in bad money” can safely lead his confiding friend into any bank, and have [5] one or two bills changed, just to convince the jay. ”