Adams County PA Archives News.....WORKED AN OLD SWINDLING GAME April 25, 1912
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D NJ *Do not include email address March 20, 2009, 6:37 pm

The Gettysburg Times, Thursday, April 25, 1912, P. 1 

McSherrystown Residents Fall Victims to the Old Game of Recovering Fortune.  
Members of Noel Family Evidently Duped.

Last week a smooth tongued individual claiming the name of George Noel, and 
representing himself as a wealthy ranchman of Louisville, Kentucky, came to 
McSherrystown, on the mission of looking up members of the Noel family.  In 
confidence he told that there was a large fortune coming to them through an 
estate somewhere in the West.  He has now departed, taking with him a nice lot 
of money collected from various members of the family.

The estate, he explained, consisted of extensive property containing a large 
Catholic church, on which the lease had expired, and he would be able to claim 
the estate for proper heirs.

The stranger said he was the son of a certain John Noel, who had been well 
known in this vicinity, but he did not seem anxious to meet members of that 
branch of the family and it was since learned that the John Noel referred to 
had no son.

The Noel family is one of the oldest in this section, tracing their ancestors 
back to the first settler, Peter Noel, who in 1750 took up land in Paradise 
township, York county, southeast of Abbottstown.  The Southerner claimed to 
have knowledge of all this and also to have photographs in his possession of 
the family, taken years ago.  He displayed four pocketbooks to certain members 
of the family, and they all seemed to be well filled with the "long green".  
He also wore a cowboy belt, which he said had not been off his body for quite 
a long time.

He claimed he had a son who was a wealthy doctor in New York City and another 
who was recently ordained a priest in Rome, that he as a great cattle raiser 
spent most of his time traveling on business.

The supposed Mr. Noel would always try to meet the ladies of the families 
first, and win their confidence, then go back and lay the project before the 
men.

His object, he stated, was to raise money to prove relationships and then he 
personally would conduct the legal procedure and after the estate was turned 
over he would distribute the money among the several branches of the family.

It is stated that the stranger had little difficulty in collecting various 
amounts, from 50c to larger amounts, from members of the Noel family in 
McSherrystown and vicinity, and the business was so carefully and quietly 
conducted that outsiders seemed to know nothing of the affair.

The man also displayed a rosary, which he claimed to be a relic of the Noels, 
and that the overcoat he wore was made from wool raised on his own reservation 
in the South.

Now, however, he has left town and has not been seen or heard of since.  How 
much money he took with him is not known, but that he received money from 
quite a number of people is certain.


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