Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-06-13
Patent Hay Rake SwindIe.

| How the swindlers operate is thus de-
scribed by the Poughkeepsie Bagle;r,
| The modus operandi of the parties was
as follows Arriving in the country they
separate, taking different towns, and circu-
lating among the hard listed farmers, offer
| ing the most tempting inducements, and
usually succeeded. in selling the. right to
| sell, &c, George N Palmer's hay rake and
| tender combined for one hundred dollars.
They represent the machinery as selling at
retail at eighty-tiye dollars, and that it is SO
perfect that no farmer can afford to do
without it ), that the purchaser of the right
can procure the rake, for thirty five dollars
at the mandatory, and sell at a profit Of
| fifty dollars, 0aL -''en r. ie7.a.lasd 80 3,
TO show that they have unbounded con-
1idence in the enormous profits accruing to
the purchaser, they offer to take his note
for one year, and in case the buyer does
not make two hundred dollars profit in that
time, without counting one machine for his
own use, they agree to take back the right
or share free of charge. If the farmer con-
sents under the above regulations, one of
the swIndlers draws out q note in blank
form, which is filled up properly, and then,
in order to make the buyer feel safe, the
swindler, in some cases, turns the note over
and endorses on tie back " Not to be used
until the end of one year. and then, in case
Mr.. ----'(using the name given on the
note,) has not made two hundred dollars
from the sale of the article, this note to be
returned and not used at all, or words to
that effect, which the swindler signs and
/ the parties separate of q s<loI ss.Yat.. .
Once out of sight, the swindling opera
ton commences by the swindler
taking from bis pocket a pair of scissors or
d knife and trimming off the edges of the
note when the back Immediately Separates
from the front, for the piece of paper on,
which was written the agreement to return
the note in one year if the farmer had not
made anything out of the sale Of the article
was neatly fastened to the note itself in a.
scientific manner with mucilage. Having
thus freed the note from any remembrance,
he proceeds to the next farmer and gets it
cashed, or gives it in payment for a team
of horses, carriage, or what not Byythese
means it Is estimated that the party has
obtained nearly ;one hundred and fifty
thousand dollars twenty five or thirty
wagons, and from sixteen to twenty horses
from different Farmers in the western part
of the State 4 Ak =
A SUBTERRANEAN WATER SPoUT.-A'
remarkable irruption Of water took place
recently in the Cole silver mine, Virginia
City, Nevada. The tunnel is a little over
1000 feet in length and perfectly straight
Several successive outbursts of water have
rushed through the tunnel the last filling
it up with rock for a distance of nearly 100
feet. At the last accounts, this had been
cleared out by the workmen except about
ten feet, and but little loose rock was then
coming in; although large stream of
water, about thirty-fve inches, was still
rushing over and through the pile Of loose
rock obstructing the tunnel, with q loud
roar, occasionally accommodating its force
and thrusting the mass partially forward.
A large cavern must have been formed at
the head of the tunnel, as hundreds of tuns
of rock have come from it I; but it has mot
yet been explored. A curious effect is
noticed from throwing in the daylight to
the head,of this straight tunnel by means
of properly placed mirror at the mouth.
Persons at the further end are plainly dis
tinguishable and whether dressed in black.
blue or any other color, appear as white as
snow-a ghostly sight. ia-.lNf
4 MTT -s--ggYYEgr .rE
''-Rev John W. Bekwith, reetorof Trini.
ty Church, New Orleans, has declined the
See Of Georgia, to which he had been
elected. His reasons for declining SO high
an Office in the Church is, that his work in
the Diocese OF Louisiana had but begun.
He remains in accordance with the wishes
OF the largest congregation in the city.
When the announcement was made from
the pulpit that he would not leave his
flock, it was received with profound and
deep feeling. ~ 1's15 IS 15.I
~ ---A--e S.---A---.---s fldteais
"A blind man had been sitting one
day pleasantly chatting with some visitors for an
hour, when one Ct them wished the company good