The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-05-20
An Old Confidence Game.

Much as has been said by the press about
the confidence schemes perpetrated upon
farmers by parties representing themselves
as travelling agents for new and novel
manufacturing firms, they still fad mater
ial upon which to work.
An instance of the kind is furnished by
one of our subscribers 10 this county
About the middle of last April man
called at the farm of Mr.. John Thomas
with samples of what he called hollow
cable clothes line, and claimed to be repre-
senting the Hrllow Cable Manufacturing
Co.. of Hornellsville, n. Y. He tried to
induce Mr.. Thomas to purchase, but
failing 10 that offered him the agency for
the sale Of the article in Coe and one or
two contiguous townships. After consider
able labor he succeeded in making an
agent of Mr., Thomas A contract-printed
form-was filled out and signed by Mr.,
Thomas and the suave agent j. Newcomb,
which empowered the former to sell the
/
terms upon which the cable was to be
furnished to him by the company. He
was, upon ordering 200 feet or more, tC
have the first 100 feet free, the second al
5 cents per foot and thereafter at the rate
of , cents per foot.
Mr. Thomas gave the matter no further
thought, not having tune to canvass witt
it, until the Sd of May, when a young mar
calling himself H. Brown, and represent
alive of Chicago law firm, put in al
appearance, having 10 his possession VIVA
purported to be an order for 1900 feet o
the cable and to which Mr.. Thomas name
was attached, though MIR, Thomas dis
claims all knowledge of it. He informed
Thomas that the goods were at the depo
in Port Byron and that the money must b.
paid to him at once. Thomas refused tC
pay for any thing. said that he had ordered
no goods and that if his name appeared
upon an order it was forged. Brown tolC
him that his name upon the order wa
sufficient evidence that he had ordered tn,
goods and that unless he paid the none,
or gave his note he would be taken Il
Chicago and sued. This frightened tn
honest farmer so completely that he CAV
Brown his note for Sl05, payable in 81,
months, thinking if he must be robbed i
might as well be at home as in Chicago.
The goods are still at the freight offic
in Port Byron, Mr. Thomas refusing {,
take them away. They have been meas
ured and found to be 700 feet short of tn
amount for which he paid Brown left
circular which sets forth the wonderful
qualities Of the cable and relates how ever
body has been compelled to acknowledg
its advantages aud superiority over ever
thing IN the shape of clothes line. Thi
\ circular bears at the bottom, in glarin
, capitals, the name of 0. Preston, CORES
ponding secretary of the Hollow Cab
Manufacturing Co., HornellsvilIe, N. Y,
This is the same old game that has bee
practiced time after time, upon parties
: this county. One man sells the goods an
another delivers. and, perhaps, a thir
: collects. 1t is safe to say that neither
G these sharpers will put in an apperapc
8 again, but that third party will seek
e colleot the $l05 when the note becom,
a ni due. MIR. Thomas will spend twice Il
" amount in the courts before he will pay
NJ and has warned people against buying