The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-08-30

A Bangor man, who was looking for busi-
ness and had small capital to invest, went
to Boston few months ago to avail himself
of some one of the many excellent chances
advertised in the Boston papers. He relates
his instructive experience in the following
communication to the Boston Press:
came to this city from Bangor about six
months ago bringing with me what little 1
had saved of my earnings for the past ten
years, amounting in all to about twelve hun
dred dollars, intending to invest it in some safe
business, where, iu connection with my own
services it might be made to yield me tair
livelihood. -Iaf1igI HH . brGg' aN
Beng totally unacquainted in this city, /
naturally called at business agency and made
known my desire. was invited into pri-
vate office, questioned as to the amount Of
money had to invest, and the kind of busi-
ness should prefer, and, supposing OF course
that was dealing with an honorable man in
a legitimate business way, stated my exact
position. rlti
After hearing my story, the proprietor in
formed me that he had nothing on his books
that would suit me; that the only instance he
knew where an opening into the business !
preierred-namely,t ,the,grocery trade in which
had had some little experience.-eould be
obtained, was the case of Mr.. A., who had
been talking OF selling his stand and going
West, in consequence ofthe illness OF his wife,
but that she was improving In health, and
therefore he probably would not sell. Ny iu-
dormant remarked casually that he hoped Mr..
A. would not be compelled to move, as by so
doing he would suffer great pecmiary loss, in
asmueh as his business was very large and
rapidly increasing; but, il he should sell,
there would be an extraordinary chance for any
young man who understood the business.
l lett the cffice, saying / would call again.
which did in few days, when learned
that Mr.. A. had concluded to sell, and was
then negotiating with Mr.. b., but there was
some disagreement about the price, and the
sale might fall through. The agent then i'm
formed me that Mr. A. asked $4,000 cash for
his lease, good will and his stock (which by
the way, in anticipation of speedy sale, he
had allowed to become very much reduced),
which terms he, the agent, thought were very
reasonable; '.for, though the stock was com
paratively small, the stand was first-c class, and
the lease valuable 0ne." tH0 2
inquired of the agent it he would make to
Mr. A. an offer for me for S1200 cash, the re-
mainder to be paid in one year, for which l
would give my notwithstanding in the mean
time to visit the store of Mr.. A. and satisfy
myself that things were as represented. L cali
ed en- Mr.. A. at the store and ound him very
busy, evidently rejoicing in a large custom
and doing fourishing business. / impaired
in a roundabout way and learned the n~mes
of many OF his customers, and obtained inf0r-
maGion in regard to various matters which
led me to believe that the facts which had
been stated to me were substantially correct.
The next day l again saw the agent,
who told me Mr.. A. would accept my offer
sIal h. cho hav n \ m q
an interest in the business If he should return
from the West, by paying one half Of the val
ue Of the stock then on hand saw Mr. A.
informed him who was, and asked him fol
references. He furnished me with several
among them minister Of high standing in
the community. As was about to leave the
store, this reverend gentleman came in, and
was introduced to him. had a lengthy con-
versation WITH him, which entirely satisfied
me that everything was right and the next
day paid the money, and gave the 7 ote'
The rest is briefly told l found myseif III
an out of-the-way locality, in a store wheIe
10 business had been done for conslueraoie
period by anybody, although Two or .hree
parties had attempted to 90 BUSINESS tnere
and failed, and without sustUa sSa4 enoasn 10
!tyo"s;ng !ay I have since learned that the
uort,, from whom 1 purchased had opened
the R Store two or three days before my first
visit there, that the names Of the customers
9iyep me were fictitious, and when l called
upon the reverend gentleman had convers-
ed with found the genuine individual to be
entirely different from my informant, lin fact
had never seen him before. h~
am perfectly satisfied that the whole
thing was only scheme to get my money
and that the store, the negotiation, win Mr
b. the recerend, and the information go'
we're manufactured expressly to meet my case S
1t is needless to say 1 have not found the
agent, and the only sympathy have mel
with has been from the owner oil the Dulid
ing where the store was, who received NJ