The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-08-09
A MANIToWoC Co. MAN SwINDLED
oUT OF $50O.-The Milwaukee Wisconsin,
IF the Sd inst, has the following:

of the Sd inst, has the following:
Forstein Knudson lives up in Manito-
VOC county. He is Norwegian, and
keeps little store there. Yesterday he
came to Milwaukee to make some pur-
chases, and before doing so lie thought he
would take look about the city, see how
the market stood, etc.
About 2 o'clock in the afternoon, being
rather tired of looking about, he stood on
the corner of Wisconsin and Fast Water
streets. He watched the crowd of passers
by on the walks, and the heavily laden
teams, the busses, the carriages and the
street cars which thronged our leading thor
oughfare, and no doubt he thought to him
self that Milwaukee was great city, and
was destined one of these days to eclipse all
the cities of the west in greatness. We
do not wonder, for all people think so.-
While our hero stood lost in wonder at the
hustle and excitement about him, he was
accosted by one of two young men who
came along, who asked very blandly if For
stein could tell the aforesaid young men
when the boat left for Manitowoc. For
! stein Immediately said that he lived up
there-a fact which the young men we'll
knew-and proceeded to give all the par
ticulars he knew about the boats and the
place. He also told them who he was, and
how glad he was to meet people who lived
in his county. Forstein listened attentive
ly. The young men told him that they
were in business up there, too. They had
money enough, but it was in checks which
they could not cash just at present, an
they must have the money. They produced
check drawn on the Milwaukee National
Bank by Franklin Cook, & Co., in favor
of George +. Anderson, for $3.50. 1t
was apparently all right, on its face, bore
two cent stamp and looked WELL Would
Eorstein let them have $500 until they
could get some Of their checks cashed,
keeping this as security They would pay
him good percentage for the use of the
money. Forstein agreed to, took the
check and handed three centuries and four
halfcenturies to the young men, putting
the check in his pocket. After giving it
up the young men seemed to fear that
Forstein would swindle them out of the ex-
ira $50, and urged that he should 60 down
to the boat while they transacted their bus
mess and came down, which they would do
speedily.
Poor foolish Forstein did so. He went
to the dock and waited from two clock TN
til four. No young men came. lie then
made the acquaintance of Officer Smith,
and told him his story. The officer looked
at the man in astonishment, gave whistle,
and asked, 'Is it possible my friend, that
there is such fool in the world ~ The
officer was soon satisfied that Forstein told
the truth, and took steps to hunt up the
rascals, if they had not yet decamped with
their i'll gotten gains. Forstein went to
the station house. It took some time for
him to realize that the check was good for
nothing, and that he had been swindled,
| but wher lie did so, he was as nervous and
as uneasy as a child. He could give no de-
scription of the men-could tell nothing
about them-he only knew that he had
| lost his money
All pitied the man, but it was hard to
tell whether his disposition to accommo
date, or his desire to make the extra $780,
which the check called for, had made him
the victim of SO palpable confidence
game.
The victim of misplaced confidence F"
above alluded to, is Mr.. TosTEN KNUDsoN,
late Treasurer of the town Of Liberty, an
honest and upright man. lie had recently
sold his farm for $4,000, and now resides
in this village.