Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-09-24
TAKING IN A SAWDUST SWINDI,.
FTP
Good Money Sent TO the Oil Country
as Samples of Counterfeits.
Chicago Herald

as samples OF Counterfe1ts.
Chicago Herald.
''The killing of Tom Davis. the
Sawdust man, IN New York, by
a man from Texas reminds me of an
experience | once had with gang of
this kind, )" said 8 we'll known oil reg
ion sport, in the bar>room of the Op-
ton House, night or two ago.
'"Te1 the story" came from doz~
en- Threats.
swell, boys, you all know that
am something of sport. So was my
dad before me- The old man was up
to all kinds of speculations. Nothing
was too risky for him. If he wasn't
IN a lottery it was horse race or
rattle. One time he got one of those
enticing circulars, such as Tom Davis
sent out to his dubes. At that time
the old man was flying in hard luck.
He had lost century or so on horse
race, and speculation in mining
stocks had turned out disastrousIy.
The offer Of the sawdust chap struck
him right favorably. Tim, if I can
collier thousand or two of the queer
he said to me, I know that I can pass
it without trouble in the oil country.
I've great notion to try it on and
trust to luck, All right, dad said I
try it on
In few days he received another
letter from the sawdust man. appoint
ing meeting at hotel in Chatham
square, in New York. I can't raise
the wealth to CO. said tae old man to
me, so I must get nay grip on some
of that bogus money thought the
matter over, and concluded that
would give the old man a lift. I took
the crooks letter, and, with the assis-
lance of young fellow in the news
paper business, cooked up a reply
which [ calculated would catch the
swlndler In as neat trap as he ever
set to catch suckers. In the letter I
told the chap that New York was not
the place for him to do business ia.
The oil country was then booming,
and [ advised him to come here, or at
least to open "a agency. pictuIed
to him how easy it was for him to
shove wagon loads of the queer. A
mining or oil town afforded superior
advantages for showing bogus money.
In conclusion, [ told him that had
$4,000 to invest, bat, that like ether
Oil men, was not in the ha hit of
buying pig in poke.
Z" Send on samples [ wrote, 'by
mail or express, and I will examine
the goods, and, if they are as slick as
represented, will take $4,000 worth
1t was utterly impossible for me to
meet him in New York. If he wanted
to transact bosiness he must either
seud samples or come on himself. In
few days a neat express packet was
delivered at the door of the old mans
house. With a trembling hand he
tore off the wrapper, revealing long
and narrow pasteboard box. Care
fully hidden under lot of papers was
a long package done up in oiled silk.
In it were four crisp new bills of the
denominations of 50, S., $40, and $50.
They looked like genuine, and were
pronounced as such by the cashier of
the Bradford National Bank.
'But [ am getting ahead of my
story. When the package arrived the
old gentleman sent for me. He was
nearly wild with excitement.
1" 'Ain't they beauties?' he cried, as
he tenderly fondled the crisp slip of
paper.
'''They look good, I replied, but
that don't hinder their being counter
feits.'
"'That's exactly what they are,'
said my dad, ia triumph. We amt
paying for good money, are we?'
Il admitted the force of the logic.
Then I proposed that I take the bills
to bank for examination. IF the
banks say they are good, I said, then
We'll have a picnic ia passing them.
I had an idea that the money was
genuine, and I wanted to get my
hands GA it before the old man had a
chance to shove it. It nearly broke
dads heart to part, even for a little
while, with the beautiful new notes.
I hustled to the bank and asked if the
bills were really good. Certainly
replied the cashier, after scrutiniz-
ing glance, they are as good as they
make. Here are some ceunterfeits,
and he produced bundle of bills.
Some of them were brand new. I
persuaded him to loan Ene crisp $40,
across the face of which was stamped
in red letters counterfeit. )"
what then?" queried one of the
crowd.
why, I showed it to the old man
and said that the bank had taken all
the money from me and branded it as
bogus. It cured dad of his fever for
queer, but he never really got over
the belief that I had played roots with
HIM. Somehow he caught on to the
idea that the money sent by the saw
dust man was genuine, bit he never
had chance to spend it."