The New York herald., 1879-02-02
COCOANUTS IN COURT.
ARREST OF THREE swINDLERs WHO HAVE FOR
YEARS BEEN PREyING UPON CREDULoUs
NEGROES
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

NEGROES.
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
NORWICH, Conn. Feb. l. 1879.
cocoanut Of great interest came up to-day
i'll the Police Court The parties incrminated are
colored, from Boston ana give the names of Pro-
fessor Alexander p. Ashbourne, superintendent of
the National Desscated Cocoanut and Spice Shipping
Company. Boston and Washington; DR.. William
G. Lane ana Henry Taylor. agents. These three
appeared in court to-day and pleaded mot
guilty" to charge of obtaining money under
false pretences. Several colored people in this
city have been victmzcd. in the aggregate to sew
eral hundred dollars Shares were sold them at 81
each in the company. and interest OF ten per cent
guaranteed on the investment, some of the de-
luded ones taking fifty shares. Negroes only, no
whites, were allowed in the meetings. The latter
consisted of lectures cooperation and phrenology
which usually wound up by selling several shares of
cocoanut stock Ashbourne in court produced let
tcrs patent processes Cor making hair pomade.
ink. tooth powder and culinary article, all invented
by him, made from cocoanut. The last patent was
granted him in Oakland Cal. in 1877.
VISIT To THE MANDATORY.
The mandatory and machinery in the Cambridge
shop extoled greatly by their agents in selling
shares and Captain Whalcy, in detectives disguise,
called yesterday at the shop where he found instead
of the score OF hands at work. an aged darky, who
gave his occupation general repairer The
premises warranted his assertion, for the building
i'll dilapldateu state. nearly ready to tOpple
stove, cider press coffee mill and bottom
less chair comprised the bulk of machinery. which
the agents priced at $4,000. The concern has
Office in Hanover street. Here the officer found Rev.
John ID. Bagwell, secretary of the company awaiting
returns by mail from the agents.
swISDIERs STORY.
Ashbourne appears quite well educated and told
his story huently to-day the witness stand. He
was he said born in Charleston s, c.. had travelled
in South America, China and California. At the
Centennial he had exhibits and he great a
newspaper curiosity there here giving the
porters stare The company have been operating
in Virginia for two years and at the present have
agents i'll New York, Washington, New Haven, New
Bedford, Boston, &C.
A CLEAN STEAL.
The real assets of the S50,000 company virtu-
ally nothing but printed circulars and cards. and lee
lures led thousands of poor colored people to
be deluded. having explicit confidence in these Art
full Dodgers of their own The ''cocoanus
obtained several hundred dollars here and left for
New London and New Haven when the trap
sprung OH them and their little game exposed The
case has occupied the Courts attention all day and
is not concluded Their operations were conducted
under the cloak of religion the meetings all being
held in churches of that people. The Rev. Mr.. Bag
well preached sermon some weeks ago. and told
his hearers that the National Dessicated Cocoanut
Company the stepping stone to heaven. Those
who invested were told that their money would he
refunded any time writing to Washington and
they would also receive the ten per cent the COM
pany patent righted."