Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-10-08
The Fall Swindlers.

class Of swindlers, and by its persist
ence far outstripping the convention
al book agent and life insurance man,
is the lightning rod man.
Now, no one pretcnds that lightning
rods are not good things in their way,
and when kept in place, even if they
do look little unsightly to person
Of aesthetic tastes. And there are
many persons who have nervous
dread of thunder and lightning
much 30 that they are in constant ter
ror when storm is in progress
Scientific men are agreed that light
ming rod, constructed on right princi-
Piles, is protection against the elec-
tric fluid.
And there is no one who can expali-
ate on this fact at such length, and is
fortified with so many statistics to
prove the extreme danger of erecting
buildings without them, or in failing to
attach rods to those already construct
ed, as the average lightning rod man.
He will demonstrate to you how cheap
ly it can be done. lie takes hasty
survey of your building-so many ex-
posed angles, requiring each point
so many feet of wire, and the thing is
done alta cost Of from forty 10 fifty
dollars You think well of il,
Your wife may be, and probably is.
q little nervous whom what the report
ers call "Heavens artillery" is thun-
dering rather more lo1dly than usual,
and the lightning flashes more vividly
than is its usual wont. And then the
expense is small, and you conclude
you will have it done. The agent, or
solicitor, (for the work is never done
by him, he merely obtains the order),
suggests few addtions-it will in
crease the safety OF the bulding-and
you foolishly agree to it, supposing
the expense will not be moro than ten
or fifteen dollars additional, You sign
an agreement or blank form, which
the agent proceeds to fill up, and he
drives away. In few days thoroaf-
ter wagon drives up, containing q
couple of men and all the parapherna-
liza requisite to rig out an entire block
with lightning rodsand appurtcnances,
and they go TO work and cover the
top of the house with wilderness OF
wire, and at intervals of few feet
are upright points for attrating the
lightning and conducting it by means
of the wire 10 the ground.
And tho bill, when it comes in, is
about four times as great as great as
the victim supposed it would be. The
chances are he refuses to pay it. He
is sued for the amount in the District
Court, and the agreement he signed
being placed in evidence, the case Is
decided against him. Hc has no re-
dress. He knows no redress. Ht
! knogs he has been swindled, but h'
4 r % h5',iitrc - pPsa~.ie: AL appar
emily small swindle, and yet one which
nets the operator very handsome sun
yearly, is known as the "churn swim
die" A well dressed, glib-talkinl
man driving a handsome pair of horses
attached to wagon, in which churr
of a new patent kind, makes his ap
pearance in an agricultural district
, he calls on the farmers in turn, ant
, shows them the churn and the mode o
its working,and guarantees that il is al
that it is represented TO be. Circular
with recommendation from variou
, ones who claim To have used it,are alsi
shown. As an additional incentive
l be offers 10 take tho notes of thos
who purchase, payable in sixty days
The amount asked is only five dollars
D and this seems 30 small a sum that
n very large proportion give their note
5 first with the understanding that the.
r arc not to be paid until the churI
q is delivered. Weeks roll on; n
S churns are delivered but when th
t notes fall due, they are presented 10
!. payment by some sharp country Law
. yer, who purchased them at discoun
0 Of twenty-five per cent. And not ii
!, then do the dupes find that they hav
$ each paid their five dollars-not 70
u the churn, but for tho privilege c
purchasing it, it being patented. {
Q course il is swindle,pure and simple
t but the victim has no redress, and
o compelled to pay his note, with intel
n est added
a In one township in Michigan, tn
d writer knows Of thirly-ive farmer
l. who were sold in this manner with
one week.
81 There arc other phases Of this not
a swindlc. Perhaps the most transpa
a ent is what may be designated as I'll
Q 'halfnote swindlc.' The operator Offer
u TO cell somo well known agricultar;
t implement and take the purchaser
n note for it, payable when delive
b cd Of course it is never delivcrc,
% and the giver of the note is astonishe
's when his note comes TO him for pa,
d ment, a pure and bona 6de promissor
of note, with all the conditions and SAT-
TX guards IL originally bore wanting
O. lie cannot account for il. There
8 his signature, and the date on whic
70 he gave bis note, and there arc oth'
IS pccuiaritics which stamp IL as h
uVlt. n tloSt chO
70 that it is only two thirds Of the mo-
'e he originally gave. The note was |
W carefully wordcd that the condition
US came on the outer edge Of the not
&c and these were cut Off, leaving II,
hs stated, simple promissory note. ]
Q. secure the signature, without whic
III the note would be valeuless, the dott'
's; line on which the name was write
ell was carried further in than is custor
o. ary, but not so much as to excite su
n pcion or comment The victim mig
u explain or protest, but all to no pu
u. pose, as the note-as In the case
"a the churn--had passed into the han
at Of third parties, of course at consldC
Ia, able discount, and eventually the Civ
nd of the note has TO pay.
MS These arc but samples Of the swi
I'm dies continually going on. The !
RS might be heightened indefinitely.
m The Persian monnrchs smile mt