The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1872-12-04
Shearing the Flock.

A trial has commenced before Justice
Beach, of Pontiac, which promises some
rich developments, and over which that
community is said to be very much excited.
The Bill Poster gives the following YER
sion of the affair:
Mr. Andrew J. Sutherland. of Ann Ar
Dor, was in this city several months since,
and represented elmself to be the agent of
the Monitor Northwestern Silver Mining
Company, OF Milwaukee. He had with
him various samples Of ore, said to have
been taken from the eompany's mine, in
Alpine county, California He was evi-
IDENTIFY sincere in his convictions that the
mine was big thing, and only wanted ten
more new stamps to make it pay dividends
to its stockholders The sum required to
buy the necessary additional stamps was
$1,000 and he had for sale that amount
of stock, the proceeds of which would be in
vested in the purchase Of the aforesaid
stamps. Mr.. Sutherland evidently had no
trouble in getting the stock taken, for the
Pontiac NJ. f. Church, from the pastor to
the members, took hold of the matter, and
talked it to their friends. They saw I'M
told wealth within their grasp, and Mont
tor stock was in great demand Promi-
nent members of the Church saw an OPP
portunity for them to do good turn for
sisters and brothers who were not so well
off in this worlds goods as themselves, and
they, after investing some of their own
funds, solicited their friends to do the
same. Property was mortgaged, notes
were discounted. money was borrowed, and
other wires pulled to enable the necessary
funds to be forthcoming The result of all
this was that some 500, 900 were subscribed
in this city to the Monitor Mining Stock,
some of the victims being poor men and wild
Ows, who are financially ruined, SO to speak,
in consequence.
Of the use to which the money has
been put is not for us tn say at present.
Suffice it to say,the new stamps had not been
purchased, up to month back, and the
stock of the concern can be bought for -
cents on the dollar When il became
known as it did by some, several weeks
since, that the affair was only frst-class
swindle, as was discovered by those who
visited the mine in California, there was
''wailing and gnashing Of teeth, aud a
disposition ON the part of the majority OF
the victims to pocket their losses, with as
good grace as possible, and profit by the
experience; but two or three others were
not willing TO lie dormant in the matter
and ARA B. Donelson, IA victim to the
tune of $l,H0, commenced action against
Mr. Sutherland for obtaining money under
false pretences.
After the examination Of three witnesses
for the prosecution the further hearing of
the case was postponed to December To-
Mr.. Sutherland was admitted TO bail in
the sum of $1,000
This man Sutherland is the pious. high
toned fraud who with, perhaps, the hired
aid Of certain parties in this city, went
through the brethren here, in the matter
of the worthless machinery sold to the
Mozart Watch Co, case in regard to
which is now in court There can be no
doubt whatever that this was deliberately
put-up job to swindlc our citizens, and.
from the evidence thus lar taken. there is
a good prospect that the $4,000 Suther-
rand 5 gang secured will have to be re-
turned, with interest and damages.