Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-11-23
An Alleged Swindler.

|
with no trunks or other baggage except
what he might have carried in small
satchell or travelling bag, in his hand. He
said that he was from New York, and had
come to Rutland to establish himself in
business. He was to deal in -four, grain
cheese, lumber, etc, and was 10 pay spec
ial attention to black walnut lumber. He
related, to those who cared to listen, that
he had wife residing in Boston, and thai
his mother was possessed of large prop
erty and resided in Muscatine, Iowa, anC
that he himself had already run through
two fortunes, but was 'pIaying keeps
this time. He also claimed that he haC
the best of references as to business capac
ity, means, etc, which he was prepared Il
show to all interested parties, when there
unto properly requested.
Among his first acts were to find {
boarding place, an office, and obtain {
box in the post Office. Having procured
these-the office, by the way, being hard
ly Seyen by nine in size-he had printed
some startling letter heads, and opened al
extensive correspondence throughout thu
country, more particularly with the flour
grain and lumber dealers Of the West
The letter heads were, of course, dated a
Rutland, and gave his correspondents t.
be informed and understand that he was {
dealer in Lumber, Grain and Flour,
and announced that consignments were So
licited and liberal advances made on such
consignments. How this tempting bal
took will shortly appear.
1t is stated, and is probably true, tina
his correspondence was the largest in Rut
land, but true it is, that it was on large
scale and was simply immense.
Having thus prepared for business, h
opened negotiations for lumber yard
and having found one suitable for his pur
pose and easy of access, he declined t.
take it, alleging as a reason that the own
ers would only lease for year, or from
year to year. 1t may be proper here It
state that, for his extensive business h
would only lease an Office from month t
month.
The first that was known Of Fitch b,
most, if not all, of our prominent bushes
men, was the receipt of letters from, VI
suppose Fitch would call them, his cor
respondents, inquiring if there was such
man here, his standing, etc. Upon inqui
ry they learned that he was in town, bu
unfortunately he always happened to b.
absent from his place of business whel
some of them called, and to others VIII,
were fortunate enough to find him in hi
office, he declined to show bis recommen
dations, Ell Their, we presume, because h.
did not deem them interested parties, o
because the request was not couched il
proper language. Those who had the fore
thought to make these inquiries of their &C
quaintances or correspondents, before sell
ing, will have more income to report Il
the Assessor of Internal Revenue, for tn,
current year, than those who snapped a
and swallowed the bait, without a closer
examination. Notably among those who
escaped are dealer in cheese and one il
refined oil, both of Western New York
to say nothing of extensive lumber, grair
and flour forwarders Of that State anC
States further West.
At about the same time the letters Of in
quiry were being received at the post Of
fee, another kind Of response was being
received at the freight depot. These con
sisted, mainly, Of shingles. OF these were
several, one carload being from Buffalo
another from Michigan, and others, the
names and residences of whose consignors
we have been unable to ascertain. Besides
these there were consignments of Other
goods from different places, one being from
Vergennes in this State.
The history of one Of these cases will b'
a history of all-the same course being
substantially pursued in each instance.
In response to MS "consignments sole
liclted," 'Iiberal advances made" a car
load of shingles was received from The
West, and Immediately reshipped to Troy
by Fitch, without breaking bulk. II
due time draft came from the consignor
but Fitch could not be found, and after
proper delay the draft was returned pro
tested, In response to this came direc.
tons to secure the amount on the shingles
but it was too late-they were in Troy
To Troy the consignor went, but again
too late-the shingles were sold, the mon
ey in Fitch's pocket, and Fitch not to be
found in Rutland, Troy, or elsewhere.
The other cases, and they are said to be
numerous, are similar: the Western deal
ers out; the Rutland dealer in. Fitch
has the money, his creditors have protest
ed drafts, and the privilege of paying pro
test fees. The amount thus secured by
our feetlng fellow-citizen has not been as
certained, but it is reported to be quite
large.
We will here repeat, for the benefit Of
some of the proprietors of large lumber
yards in Western New York, that our
whilom commission merchant was not a
Vermonter, but claimed to hail from their
own New York. We state this because
one of these firms was caught for the rea-
son that they ''came from Vermont in their
youth, and always retained the impression
that every one inthat State was all right"
Fitch left Rutland and his extensive
business, some twelve days ago, and his
present whereabouts is not known, but is
anxiously sought for by several parties
more or less interested.
Whi1a hare he enpapad individua1s IN