Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-07-05
Swindling the Farmers.

Swindling the Farmers.
THE rural population have been largely
swindled oy the bogus-money dealers, or
rather dealers in waste-paper and saw.
dust, For old men who have caught at
the bait, have not one word of sympa-
thy, for they are not one whit better than
the swindlers themselves the only differ
ence is that they have not had the oppor-
tunity to pass off this promised bogus
currency. But there are great many
thoughtless young men whose fathers
have not taught them the ways of the
world, and they have heard so much
about people getting rich by speculation,
which is simply getting something for
nothing, that they, without reflection, are
caught in the meshes of these scoundrels.
1t is for this class that | would interpose
the law, and yet it is hardship for many
poor families to strip them of the funds
that are so much needed | do not know
that the law can reach these so-called
dupes or wOuld.be dealers in counterfeit
money, but it ought to do so, for they are
equally guilty, | have several letters, all
OF them without signature, asking me to
, expose these humbugs; and | only regret
that the parties did not give names, that
the swindler and his dupe might alike be
known to the country. Just give ne your
names, gentlemen, and the amount that
you have lost, with the names of the deal
ers, and you shall have your wish, and
the public shall have the benefit of an ex-
posure that is an exposure.
In connection with this, / will give a
little history: Away back in the early
settlement of the country about Chicago,
when the late Cyrus Bradley was Deputy
Sheriff, he intimated to farmer that GER
tain parties who had rented farm near
him were suspected Of dealing in bogus
currency, and he wished to keep an eve on
them. Meeting one of his new neigh6ors a
few days after, he casually dropped the
remark in conversation that half the silver
coin in circulation was bogus. No reply
was made to this remark; but, the next
day, when the farmer was hauling wood
! on his sleigh, one of the trio of renters
met him in the wood, he happening along
in quest of game, with shot. gun on his
shoulder. After some casual remarks, the
man came to business. Don't you want
to go into a speculation 2" " Yes, ~ was
the reply. "Well, III show you the
stuff; and suiting the action to the word,
threw a silver half dollar on the bottom
board of the sleigh. Its ring was all
right. Yes, that is good money" "Well,
that is just where you are mistaken, for
there is no silver in it; but 1t will deceive
the bankers themselves, and, if you have
any doubts, just try them with it, for acid
Will have no effect on it. can sell it to you
for twenty-five cents on the dollar. Mort
gage your farm for the money, and your for
tune is made. "1es, you are right, and
L will take all such money at your price
that you will bring me, and pay you the
! gold" "Thats bargain, and we will
] n tha fbipo at 7 1xri1I Ma
the coin in a box, and put it under the
straw in the old stable of Mr.. B. You
know the old stable is not used this win
ter, and no one goes there" "That
won't do. Just bring the money to my
house any day you may choose to name,
and will pay you the gold for it. These
are my terms, and no others.r Cant do
it, for Bradley, or some one of his gang,
may see us bring out the money in fact,
he already suspects us. Can't do it, for
we must have our own way to manage
the thing. The money is made in Chi
cago, and the maker is closely watched,
and we have to manage sharp to get it
out. If you won't give in, we can't trade,
and you will regret it, for you throw away
a chance to make your fortune. Good
day" | need not say that the half-dollar
was genuine, and the rascal knew it..
The gang had showed considerable of the
bogus, but, in less than three days, the
trio of families abandoned their lease,
and it was supposed they left for Galena
at least, the officers failed to get them
but the house in Chicago was broken up,
and the tools were, for long time, in the
hands of Mayor c., who then ruled over
the young city.
These fellows show good money for a
sample, and deliver sawdust and old rusty
nails. You can safely buy the sample,
but don't allow of a private or old-stable
delivery. Thousands of men in the city
live by fleeing the rural populations that
is, getting something for nothing l say
to those boys who have been writing me
of their grievances, to ask themselves ii
their intentions are any better than those
who have swindled them-only this: they
propose to be the agents in small way
for the big knaves.
A farmer at my elbow says: "Let me
tell you little story. Once on time,
Just at the close of the late war,
or soon after the colored troops
came home, a colored man was in want OF
horse. Deacon A. had fine horse that
he would sell the soldier. The sale was
made and money paid, but few days re
vealed that the horse had the sweeney in
the shoulder, and was of no use to the
soldier. The deacon refused to take him
back, and the court was resorted to, when
it appeared that the deacon had been doc
toring the horse for months, and knew
that he was of no value. What with
counsel, costs and damages, the deacon
came out badly. Suppose you suggest to
the boys that there are other knaves be
sides those dealing in bad money, and tel
them for me that hundred dollars OBJ
tanned by honest labor is worth a thousand
stolen from others. Here is what Thoma:
Meehan says, in Forney's Press, on the
subject of the swindling of farmers;
"Again, they are usually more hon
est class than any other. Calculating tC
live by industry, and their very avoca
tiOn tending tn compel them to be indus
trious, they have little chance to know
anything about the ways of those who
live by their wits for, in the rogue''
business, as well as in all others, it II
practice which makes perfect. Thus, thu
farmer has been the peculiar prey of Tho
sharper, and there is no end of the tricks
practised on the honest son of the soil, by
which he is relieved of his cash, and geti
nothing in return.
"In the matter of swindling, it hai
hitherto been hard to do anything witt
: these fellows, on account of supposed
spirit OF the law in their favor. 1t has
! been assumed that the purchaser must bt
, intelligent enough TO judge wholly fo
himself, if he sees the article, whethe