The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-12-09
Ways that are Dark and Tricks that
are Vain.

CHICAGO, Nov. 28th, 1876.
To the Editor Of the T-okKISsHAS's ADVOCATE:
Those Of the working men desirous of
investing their savings from years Of unre-
quilted toll, should be enlight-
eued in the new tangled "corners" not
uufrequently imposed upon inexperienced
and unsuspicious inquirers for property.
An instance Of one Of these dis
atr US cornr rs to the Vi tim, re
.ntly came to light in case wherein DR..
J. koau, a resident Of Chicago was rnanip-
ulated in a n amer that would stagger the
belief Of even an adept in the corner busl-
ness.
The Doctor complains against one Ma
thaneI IT, Wright, John A. McCulloch, II.
b. Peabody, j. r. Parsons and G. W.
Boynton, and charges that he Sasswindled
into paying two prices for piece Of land
containing 10 acres, near Willow Springs,
and adjoining 200 acres he already owns
there The corrupt means resorted to by
the defendants to foist the land upon him
at their own figure, need only to be briefly
explained to show the dark deeds of men
moving in our midst
He states in his bill, lately filed in
Chancery. that in 1873, sometime in Aug
ust, he negotiated for the property IN
question for sl25 per acre. with one
Thomas Cavsnaugh, who purported to be
the owner. He, however, learned that y.
T Wright had Sheriff deed to the land,
and refused to buy until the title to the
land Was good. -
Cavanaugh then fled bill 70 clear the
title The Doctor in the meantime went
to Wright, .ho professed to own the land,
and being fully persuaded BY Wright that
his title was unquestionable, bought from
him for $1,000, but afterwards learned
that only 6g acres could be conveyed to
him, the balance Of 81 acres being held BY
the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis Railroad,
and refused to pay that sum on which
Wright vowed he would yet even"
About year after, a Mr.. Peabody was
invited by the defendants McCuiloch and
Engle, to go on fishing excursion in the
vicinity Of Willow Springs, and, having
arrived there, Mr.. Peabody was sent to
the tenant Of Dr. Kean, to make clandes
tine inquiries Of the 10 acres, and to repre-
sent to the tenant that there was immense
value attached to that piece Of land, as it
had an inexhaustible bed Of gravel on it,
and that. as he, Mr. Peabody, waS in
quest Of gravel for the z. s. Government,
high figure could be obtained for the
land. After taking the tenant out with
him to the land, and making q pretended
examination OF some stones lying hither
and thither, he gave him one dollar, and
cautioned him to make no mention Of the
discovery to any person, and especially 70
the Doctor. Upon their return to Chicago
from this memorable whaling voyage, one
Of the participants, Engle, addressed q
note to the Doctor offering to get a buyer
for the 10 acres at high cash figure, only
asking reasonable commission for such
servics.
This proffered buyer turned out to be
| Mr.. Peabody, whom he represented az a
colonel Of the United States Engineer
| Corps, and to whom he introduced the
doctor, styling him Col. Peabody. The
Colonel offered 5000 per acre, cash, and
Engle, few days later, wrote assurances
that it was his conviction the Colonel
would pay 81, 900 per acre. cash.
Upon this latter stimulus the Doctor
called on Wright, and bought upon still
! higher terms, by $500, than be had first
vfTered, paying 81, 500 cash. and giving his
note for the balance Of 81, 900 secured by
trust deed, to run one year from date Of
purchase.
This note, had it remained in the hands
Of Wright, Was liable to be successfully
disputed, as under existing laws, de-
fning the position Of maker, and the
party to whom made, a collection
could not have been made should the
fraudulent consideration have been estab-
lished. Hence, Wright took the precau.
| ton to endorse the note to the defendant,
Parsons, without recourse, and thus enable
! the endorsee to claim the status Of an in
nocent purchaser. whose rights are ever
protected by the wisdom Of the
law, when the alleged innocence Il
clearly and satisfactorily sstablishsd.