Sent to the Time: "Sir---In consequence of the large extent to which frauds by Begging-letter impostors are now carried on, the Council of the Charity Organisatio Society have directed me to prepare a statement regarding them, as over 3,000 names of persons residing in London and its suburbs have been found marked in the directories---34 in number---which were used by one of the chiefs of a London gang of beggin-letter impostors, and have recently come into the possesion of the Society..."
"An attempt to deal on broader lines with fraudulent institutions was made when in 1873, and subsequently in 1877 and 1880, the Society endevoured to secure legislation which would facilitate proceedings against them"[SW 119].