Про аферистов
1916. Washington, D.C. "Post Office Department, opening machine."
Очередное фото с историей с shorpy.com . В 1916-м , некие аферисты начали раcсылать женщинам по всей Америке "письма счастья" , в которых предлагали при условии отправки им в письме 10-центов , выслать даме модную шёлковую нижнюю юбку желаемого цвета и размера , стоимостью в 4,5 доллара. Было и ещё одно условие - это письмо нужно было переписать и отправить знакомым в пяти экземплярах. Адреса друзей , кому были посланы письма , легковерная дама должна была также сообщить "для проверки". В итоге почтамты оказались завалены сотнями тысяч писем , с десятицентовиками. "Объем почты быстро растет", сообщал почтмейстер Е.А. Парди сотрудник почтамта в Миннеаполисе, " и сегодня мы получили 25 тысяч писем, со вложенными 25000 десятицентовиками. Тысячи писем были возвращены отправителям, но подавляющее большинство из них без обратного адреса ( данные отправителя были внутри письма , так как пересылать в письмах деньги было незаконно ) и поэтому , они отправляются в "dead letter office" ( отдел почтамта для писем не подлежащих доставке , оборудованный машиной для вскрытия писем ) .
Под спойлером - заметка об афере из газеты "Tyrone Daily Herald" от 25.10.1916-го и из "New York Times ", от 24-го февраля 1917-го , а также пример одного из писем :
[Подробности афёры ( на английском ) :]
Tyrone (Pa.) Daily Herald, October 25, 1916.
AMERICAN PEOPLE EASY TO SWINDLE
"Endless Chain" Scheme Is a Big Fake
Thousands of letters, each containing 10 cents, are pouring into the Minneapolis Post office daily from women in various parts of the country, who have joined in an "endless chain" scheme promoted by the so-called National Brokerage Exchange.
Federal agents are searching for officers of the "Exchange" who are wanted for using the mails to defraud. A room in a local business block, to which all the letters are addressed, was suddenly vacated three weeks ago, the authorities say.
To every woman who would send 10 cents in silver and write five friends urging them to join in the chain, the "exchange" promised a "new, 1917 model silk petticoat."
"The volume of mail for the exchange is rapidly growing," said Postmaster E.A. Purdy, "and today we received 25,000 letters, enclosing 25,000 dimes. Thousands of the letters have been returned to the writers, but a large majority carry no return marks and as a result the dead letter office is becoming clogged. Other mail channels of the local office are choked daily by the influx of mail for the "exchange."
The firm sent letters to women throughout the country informing them that, for ten cents and the names and addresses of five of their friends, they would send them a 1917 model silk petticoat. The scheme was pronounced a fraud by government officials and the mail confiscated. A number of Tyrone women were taken in by the advertisement, and some of them are now receiving back their dimes. None received petticoats.
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One of the letters sent out in interest of the "Silk Skirt Brokerage" firm is as follows:
31 Woodward Ave.,
Springfield, N. Y.,
October 16, 1916.
Dear Friend --
I am sending you a copy of a letter I received yesterday. I am going to invest the 10c, are you? To introduce and advertise our Ready-to-Wear goods with the least waste of time we will give to anyone complying with the conditions here stated our 1916 Model Petticoats retailed at $4.50. Give size and color desired.
Conditions - Make five copies of this letter and mail to five friends. Then mail their names and addresses to the National Mail Order Brokerage Exchange, 520 Globe Building, Minneapolis, Minn., with 10c in silver and receive the silk petticoat without further expense. This offer is good for anyone who wishes to comply with this request. All petticoats are guaranteed.
This letter must be written the day after you receive this.
Yours truly,
Mrs. C. A. Vail.
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New York Times, February 24, 1917
By request of the Post Office Department at Washington, D.C., Postmaster Morgan calls attention to the fraud order issued on Oct. 28, 1916, against the National Mail Order Brokerage Exchange, at 520 Globe Building, Minneapolis, Minn., of which the following is a copy:
It having been made to appear by evidence satisfactorily to me that the National Mail Order Brokerage Exchange, at 520 Globe Building, Minneapolis, Minn., is conducting a scheme for obtaining money through the mails by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, in violation of Sections 3.929 and 4.041 of the Revised Statutes, as amended, and that communications addressed to this concern are unmailable within the meaning of Section 4 of the act of March 2, 1880, (Sec. 484, P.L. & R., 1913) all Postmasters are hereby directed to withdraw from the mails all matter of any kind addressed to this concern and return the same to the sender, where known, and where not known to send such matter to the Division of Dead Letters for proper disposition. Wherever possible, Postmasters should decline to receive such matter for mailing.
Attention is invited to this fraud order, for the reason that the Postmaster at Minneapolis, Minn., is still receiving several thousand letters daily addressed to the concern named.
Получить дамы должны были примерно вот такие нижние юбки ( это американская реклама 1916-го , как раз ) :
Кто бы сомневался , что ни одной юбки никто не получил.