A mass of evidence—collected during 12 years of investigation—is now believed to have ended a 70-year-old alleged fraud scheme involving a mythical billion-dollar estate Jacob Baker, legendary Revolution ary War figure.
Documents, letters, charts, drawings and_affidavits—more 45.000 in number—were collected by U.S. postal authorities in their fight to stop the exploitation of the nonexistent estate.
Introduced in Federal Courts in three tri the papers resulted in conviction of 17 persons en charges of using the mails to defraud consp! Seven others offered "No} acy defence"
before the opening of the trials in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, United Pre: government a 'd the d fendants udulently solicited money from so-called heirs of the non-existent fortune for "investigation and settlen it" of the estate.
Over 40 separate "Baker Heir Associations" were found to have been operating throughout ihe United States and Canada, but the presee tions centred on three groups operating in Western Pennsylvania. The: groups were known as the "Pittsburgh," the "Johnstown" and the "Altoona" groups.
The legends concerni Jacob Baki ied greatly. Many versions were told by the promoters, governmeht agents said "Two Bi Some of of the "Estate". said Jacob Ba was a Revolutionary who had been awarded large tracts of land in hat is now downtown Philadelphia, in return for war service. In addition according to the evidence introduced in the courts, it was claime investments and enterprise' enabled him to make a fortune which now would have been worth sume two billion dollars."
Baker, according to the tale, fell into some dispute with his family and leased his holdings on 99-year leases, hence the estate was not settled Claimed for the estate were such perties as the tracts where In-Gependence Hall, City Hall, Pennsyivenie Station, and valuable business buildings in Philadelphia are now situated The postal inspector in charge of the investigation testified during the trials that he had found the Baker estate Was a recurrent hoax, practiced on so-called heirs for more than 70_ years.
It was estimated by government authorities that thousands of persons contributed amounts ranging between $10 and $2,000 each to associations to "investigate" the estate. But the government's investigation brought results more rapidly
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.