Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-03-23
The Latest SWindles.

The Cass County Republican thus
relates the doings OF land shark IL
that county
4 man named Burton, with several
aliases, claiming to hail from Chicago,
has recently been detected in carrying
on an extensive system of swindline
people by means of forged deeds to
property which was not his own. His
plan has been to go to the real estate
records in different counties and ascer-
tain the names and residence of owners
of nonresident lands, signatures of the
owners, and have confederate person
ate said owners for the purpose of ac-
acknowledgements before notaries. This
accomplished, he was ready to sell to
any one who offered to buy. As the
records showed the title to be in him,
this was not difficult, as he undoubted-
~ sold at hard-times prices. One of
his operations in tins county has just
come to light single lady named
Wheaton, of Philadelphia, owns a half
section of desirable timber land in the
northern part of the Town OF Nolinia,
which different persons had tried in
vain to buy of the real owner--and
when the alleged transfer TO Burton
appeared among the published list of
transfers, Barton had plenty of apph-
cations for the land, thus enabling him
to sell at good figures. Mr.. Joseph
Warren OF Decatur, purchased lGO
acres of it, paying $1,000 down and
giving mortgage for as much more,
which the swindler came near dlspos-
ing of to banker in Kalamazoo. A
man from Allegan county was vlctlmlz-
led for a portion or the whole OF the
other quarter section. These parties
have been cutting the timber this
winter, and hauling it to the sawmill
at Decatur 1t is stated that Warren
has taken measures to stop a legal
transfer of the outstanding mortgage.
These operations should warn notari-
es and other officers taking acknowl-
edgements of deeds to be careful that
the persons whose 81 signatures appear to
the instruments are really personally
known to them, for it seems, by the
means of the too common loose custom
of taking acknowledgements OF strang-
ers, this swindler has been enabled to
obtain apparent perfect titles to lands,
and victimize innocent purchasers.
The following is given by an ex-
change as an incident which may serve
to enighten farmers on another feature
of swiudling operations;
'Some weeks ago a couple OF men
travelled through this country represent
ing themselves to be agents of Il Cleve-
land insurance company. They called
Oh Henry H. Crandall, and by their
plausible story convinced him that he
ought to insure his property. They
asked only small sum of money down,
and for another small balance, they
would take note payable at some flu
ture time. The agents also agreed to
measure the property up to its full
value. Mr.. Crandall thought he had a
good thing, getting great deal OF Sc
curity at a very little cost, SO he signed
the note, and paid between three and
four dollars at the first installment.
After these preliminaries were arrang-
! ed the bogus insurance agents drove
up a hghtning-r wagon and proceed
ed to pnt up rods on every corner OF
Craudall's house. Crandall demurred
TO this; he didn't want to go to that
expense. The agent told him that they
charged nothing for the rods; the com
pany paid the cost to secure the prop
orty they insured. Here is where the
point comes in. The other day Mr..
Crandall received notice from the First
National Bank that they held his note
for 1886 for collection. 1t appears
that the bogus agents got him to sign
blank note. which they filed up for
the above amount. This they sold to
some parties, who preceded to enforce
collection as soon as possible after the
note became due.
Lore Annl,, ~