Provinces, of Samarcand, of Ashanti and of Dodge County, U.S.A. All
these gentlemen wrote in the most complimentary terms of "CROESUS."
"He is a man," wrote the Manager of the Dodge County Bank, "whom I
have had the honour to know intimately for a considerable number of
years. Indeed, we were educated together, and not a day has passed
since then without our meeting. I beg to state that I consider him
thoroughly fitted for the responsible position of financial director
of a high-class Metropolitan paper. His personal appearance is
aristocratic and prepossessing, his manners have about them a
distinction which impresses all who meet him, and his dress, though
modest, is always pleasing. His complete command of twenty-four
languages must be of the highest advantage to him in unravelling the
tangled skein of international finance." Acting upon such testimonials
we engaged "CROESUS." We have now reason to believe that we have
been made the victims of a gross and cruel deception. An expert in
handwriting, whom we have consulted, gives it as his opinion, that
every single one of these recommendations is in the handwriting of
"CROESUS" himself, and the police, after protracted inquiries, have
assured us that the Banks, whose supposed managers addressed us in
favour of "CROESUS," never had any actual existence at all.

All we can do now is to assist justice by publishing herewith
the photograph of "CROESUS." We apologise to all whom he may have
deceived, but we do not hold ourselves responsible for any damage he
has caused. We shall publish no more financial contributions in the
meantime.

ED.

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