The evening world. Newspaper, April 19, 1922, Page 24

—— aca |THE EVENING WORLD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 1923. “‘AGet Rich Quick Wallingford all His ‘ Amazing Story of Confidence Man Post, Now In Hands @& ot Police, Who Had His “‘Blackie Daw’’-Wide Range of Adventure, From Selling Gold Bricks to Disposing of Railroads By Ruth Snyder. Geprright, 1922 (New York Evening World) ‘ty Press Publishing Oo. HE Get-Rich-Quick-Wallingford of real life is impagain! And “Blackie” Daw not been overlooked either. ‘The arrest of George W. Post, sometimes known as 8. A. Potter and William Carter, silver-haired “King of confidence men,” brings to light again the interesting career of this ‘Wall- ingford"’ of real life and his many ne- fartous get-rich-quick schemes. ‘Wallingford, now seventy-two years who had died, or to the dead man, so the letter would be opened by rela- tives. The letter told of the way in which the mine was panning out. It usually ended by the relatives paying what supposedly was owed on vulu- able mining stocks. In some cases the executors of estates believed the testator had left valuable properties in Aterica on which he owed com- paratively small sums and made good those sums to get possession of Property that did not exist. One of the victims of his ‘“‘gold- mine” scheme gave up $25,000. A letter wus addressed to his fathor boring. You muy act as you see ot in this matter, but if you give it pub Kecity a guffaw of ridicule will follow you all over the United Kingdom. “Your Well Wisher.’* Another method of getting-rich- quick would be to go to a farmer and agree to purchase his farm at his own figure. ‘‘Wallingford” and his con- federate would tell him that they would pay him all in cash, but that they would absolutely have to have the farm at a certain date, demanding that he put up $5,000 with his lawyer or any other reputable resident of a nearby town. When thelr victim at some lonely place on the way, and after making sure he had the money would snatch it from him with all the crude violence of reckless high- waymen, Then mounting horses con- Post Could Always Fall Back on the Wiretapping Game When “Business” Was Slow. | olé but as dominating in appearance, who was dead. The son responded. started for town they, would meet him i 6 carefully dresued, suave and com- He then received a letter written on 3 placent as ever, was arrested a few the letterhead of a Denver special and ; days ago as be was stepping into © st. Louis limited train, which told of taxicab at Fifth Avenue and 28th the fabulous wealth awaiting the dead ® H Street. He is wanted for swindling in man, who, it was intimated, financed i Dunkirk, N. Y., and Miami, Fla. some gold miners to success. ; Post is 6 fect tall, weighing more This man fell an easy victim. He than 200 pounds. Because of his | Beight he walks with » marked stoop. “Tis high forebead and intellectual features stamp him as a professional i man. 1 Go we find him in his seventy-seo- } ond year. Behind him the years close i to with their history of how he has 4 cleared up over $1,500,000 from people i } 4 INGLY q | NIN | YN aa INN i YING antia YAN A NYy I NIN : UY / YS GCG NAN | VAN Im conjunction with a man named Starkloff (our unfictionized “Blackie Daw") at one time, and with the netorious ‘‘Red'' Adams at another, he has developed to the highest degree, ot perfection the get-rich schemes known as the ‘‘green-goods game," “salted” gold mines, fake wrestling tebes, wire tapping games and ithern land” sales. The career of our “very much Blive’ Wallingford reads az wel! 2: the interesting stories of the author of “Get-Rich-Quick" Wallingford. In fnet, George Randolph Chester is said to have had Post's experiences in mind im drawing his character of Walling- ford. Here are some of his methods of bambooziing the public. In 1910, the Western country was flooded with a new style of “green gocds” circular sent to « selected list. ‘The ciroular asserted that the men jm possession of a plate stolen from ‘he Treasury Department and also used the same paper that was being used by the Government. As an evi- demece that they had this paper, a sam- ple of tt was sent to the prospective buyer of “green goods." It was a very good Imitation of the Government Peper on which bills any printed, but “8 expert in handling imoney could readily have told the difference. The reat of the game was the old achome of esiling the “eome-on" the package of sawdust or paper after having shorn him some real money, The mining wehome was to write te fee relktives of come Englishman » Post's Striking Profile Would Make an Interesting Study for the Character Analysts. met “‘Seaton’’ the uccomplice of our “Wallingford,” saw the gold bar tested, gave up his $26,000 and took the bar as security. He paid a de tective $5 a day to watch it and an- other $5 a night, for four nights, until he sailed for Europe. Arriving tn London, he took it to an assayer and found it was worth exactly $2.40. He had not recevored his mental poise when he received this letter from our “Wallingford”: “Dear Sir: My sole purpose in writing to you is to save you trom “ny further trouble in our matter and to prevent you from covering vour- self with ridicule and standing be- fore the public am an ass, You are» viotim of the hoary hatred game frown xs t @ brick awindie The bare you have with you are copper and have no value, The sample is, ef eoures, gold, which I shanged atteg ‘ With Their History of 000 Wrested From His Now the Years Close Behind Post $1,500,- Victims. =P, In 1887 Post Was Smooth Shaven He Had Changed His Appearance by Growing « Bear: we Thane P Testify: in style. His home was extravagamt- ly furnished, He was active tn church and society. He spent money freely and made friends as easily. How Post was Giscovered in hie col- ossal home in Wynnewood Manor ts an interesting piece of detective werk. Post and Starkloff were arrested in Detroit on a “green-goods’’ charge and, as is their usual method, man- aged to be let out on bail. But Starklof made a mistake. The authorities kept bis shirt Both Starkloff and Post at that time patronized a fashionable Philadelphia shirt manufacturer. The shirt which the authorities kept alse bore the Initials of the maker. When the Detroit officials communicated with the detectives, they were permitted to look over the books for the owners of the initials “E. A. S."" It was then explained that the firm also gave each customer a number and that this number could be found i the col ar band. Communication with De. troit resulted in the obtaining of this number and further consultation of the firm's books brought out the fact that the ". AS." who carried that number A. Starkloff of Wynne The arrest of Post and Wallingford’ managed ta 1 aE4in—and disappeared vere he is sgain—with his long list of swindlings in the interim tuek 4 ewer inpide Bip cre nation Frag vent, hae eae ee)