Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1870-11-17
Swindling.

Our citizens, both in town and coun-
try, should at all times be on Their
guard in order to prevent being swim
died. So many different ways and means
are now used by these sharpers, that it
is sometimes almost impossible to de-
tect them until too late. By represent
ing themselves as agents of some good,
reliable firm, and offering liberal induce
ments, they often succeed in taking in
some of our shrewdest business men.
For example an agent comes around
taking subscriptions for some of the city
Newspapers. In order to induce per-
sons to subscribe, he says they are pre-
pairing Directory of the State in which
way they expect to get their money
back. Or they intend getting out small
pamphlets to be distributed throughout
the county in great numbers. To satisfy
you that all is right, he will show you a
certificate signed by the publishers OF
the paper, to all appearance, with the
name Of one of the regular agents, in
serted as his own, authorizing him to
take subscriptions. You pay him for the
paper, which is always paid in advance,
he gives you receipt, and goes off,
promising to send you the.pamphlets in
two or three weeks, at least just as soon
as they can be printed. The papers are
perhaps sent you for three or six
months, sometimes not at all, and you
look in vain for your advertisements.
Such swindles have been perpetrated
here in our own town by would-be-
agents from some of the large cities.
Below We give an extract from the
Cleveland Herald showing up one OF
these swindles:
" The gay swindler, arrayed'in ashin-
ing store elothes"-none of your linsey-
wOolsey or homespun, but purple and
fine linen, metaphorically speaking-ap-
proaches his victim, whom he generally
finds at work in the field. With the ut
most suavity he skirmishes around with
a few fattering remarks about the fine
appearance of the farm and crops, and
then boldly attacks the enemy. He is
agent for the Cleveland Metallic Roofing
Company, that is he says SO, and is in
Producing new method of preserving
roofs. BY careful inquiry he has ascer-
tanned that the person addressed is a
gentleman of probity and influence, who
would make reliable and trustworthy
agent. If he will give little attention
to the matter he can make good thing
out of it.
The unsuspecting rustic, not posted
upon the ingenious tricks that fallen
man devises whereby to swindle his fel-
low man, listens to the song of the siren
until he consents to have the paint ap-
piled to his own roof, gratis, to serve as
an advertisement. 1t is to cost him
nothing, he is only to descant upon its
merits to his fellow travellers through
this swindling world.
Thus far matters have gone on SWIM
mingly, and the iron being now red-hot
the agent proceeds to strike. He whips
out an "order book" with a business
like flourish, fills up the blank with the
name of his victim, and politely, re-
quests his autograph thereto, subscrib-
ing to certain conditions. The man
glances over it, sees that it is 40. K"
and writes his name at the place indi-
Gated. The agent then moves this leaf
of the book just enough to disclose a
place for signature at the bottom OF
the next. This, he tells him, is dupli-
cate, an exact copy of the one already
signed, to which his name must also be
appended, for the agent himself to re-
tain. Taking it all for gospel truth, the
innocent seizes the pen and again writes
his "John Hancock" The first paper is
then countersigned by the agent and
handed to the man, with instructions to
apply at the Office of the company in
Cleveland, and get his cement. He then
doffs his glossy tile, bids him au reuoir,
snd goes upon his winding way in quest
of other lambs to be shorn.
A peep behind the scenes reveals the
dismal truth that the last document
signed, the body of which was carefully
concealed from view, was a "for value
received 1 promise to pay" for one hun
dred and ffty dollars"