Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1881-01-06
Seductive Advertisements.

THOSE in the habit OF reading thor
'oughly the newspapers are doubtless
familiar enough with artifcally wOrded
advertisements like the following, which
are only covers for a nefarious business
or for ingenious attempts at downright
swindling: "Twenty-fve thousand
dollars cash will secure a one-ffth in
terest in valuable mining claim in Ne
vada; three millions ore in sight, which
can be worked under patented electric
ore process at cost of $2 per ton. Ad-
dress Business, &C." Or, ~ have
eleven mines located together in New
Mexico; extraordinary prospects, l
want party to advance 81, 800, in month
ly payments, to sink shaft; don't want
TO sell, but will give an interest in the
property. Address Bona Fides," etc.
The don't want to sell in the latter
advertisement is well calculated to at
tract the attention of the simple-minded
people to whom it Is addressed, though
too transparent to deceive the most or
dnary business man. All the fools are
not yet dead, and "Bona Fidos," whose
demands are certainly very modest, isl
doubt now in receipt, from more than
one quarter, Of a handsome monthly in
come. "Bona Fides y win continue to
sink that shaft as long as his delud-
ed victims are willing to furnish regular
monthly payments in return for
shadowy interest IN an apochryphal
property, The principal things re-
qured under this system, TO wheedle
out Of unsuspecting and unsophis-
ticated people the accumulated re-
suits Of years Of toll, Is q little in
genuity in wording an advertisement,
a plausible manner, large amount of
assurance, and tolerable gift Of Ian
guage. To do this more etfectually,
the services Of cOnfederates are
required, and these are always to
be found on tho spot, ready
TO render such as may be
necessary, receiving percentage on all |
moneys realized from the jobs In which |
they have q hand Last fall an adver-
tisement calling for a young man TO 90
20 California appeared in most Of the
New York papers. The applicant, by
giving 800 cash as security, was to OBJ
tain good position, paying $50 a
month. This California advertisement
proved very successful. Some dozen or
more fools parted with $l00 before the
accomplished swindler came to grief.
He told each applicant that he would
suit, agreed 10 furnish him with a free
pass TO California, and promised 10 re-
turn the 800, which he demanded as
security for good behavior on the part Of
bis dupe, after the latter had been one
month in his employ. Written agree
ments were invariably drawn up and
signed by both parties In the presence
of a confederate, who was represented
% be a notary public. This simple, al
most clumsy, machinery, slightly
changed and modified, Is still In active
operation. as may be seen by glance
at the advertising columns Of our morn.
ing papers.
Wall-StTeet sWindlers deal largely In
seductive advertisements. They look
chiefly 10 the rural districts for victims.
Country papers TEEN with advertise
ments emanating from the swindlinR
<'put and call brokers, - headed, WHoW
20 make Money in Wal-STeet." Each
particular advertisement contains ex-
itragagant descriptions Of the wonderful
exclusive advantages possessed by tour
firm" for manipulating stocks. Accord
inc 20 the seductive advertisements of
Che ffMutual Stock Operating Com
pauies," it would seem that stock specu-
tatiOn has been by them reduced TO so
perfect a system that they can at any i