The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-09-17
GIGANTIC SWlNDllNG.
Illegal Issue Of Township warra nts In
syOlving Millions.


The Illegal issue of township warrants or
orders by the three trustees of Daviess county
to very large amount, and their subsequent
flight to Canada, havo been instrumental in
bringing to light II gigantic swindlmg scheme
VIII oh is known to have been practised in sew
eral counties in Indiana. There is at present
no means OF ascortaning definitely how ex-
lensivo such operations have been. 1t is
certain, however, that in Daviess county
orders of the amount of $4,000 or $l00 0OO
and probably more, have been issued and sold
to innocent parties, and there are rumors Of
like transactions in other plnces, An lndianapo-
lis attorney who has just returned from Foun'
tain county, says that n large amount las been
issuel from TINT and Verm.llion counties, md
dispatch from Posey county announces the
discovery there that George ID. Rowe, who for
IA years was u trustee, has issued $4,000 Of
illegal warrants. II is feared that the game
has been played on many counties, and il is
possible that the fraud will run Up into the
millions.
From the best information that can DO OBJ
tanned, Mr., r, b. Pollard, who for more than
year has been resident OF Indianapolis, APP
pears to be the chief conspirator In the scheme,
and it was principally through his operation,so
it seems, that the orders were issued and placed
upon the market. He came here about o yenr
ago from Greensburg. His business was selling
school supplies, generally to township
trustees, and he acted as agent for
number of houses, principally To-
Gated in Chicago. His scheme was in the
nature of II conspiracy with township trustees,
by which it was agreed that they should issue
to him obligations of the township, ostensibly
for school furniture and supplies, which were
never delivered, and that he should dispose of
these on the best possible terms and then di.
vide the proceeds with them. His method of
operation was very shrewd He would go to
some 'pitalist or to some banking house, and
tell them that he had sold large amount of
supplies to certain township and as it had
no money on hand at present. he was COM
PEELED to take its orders, payable after.the col
lection OF taxes next year, l. O., in December
1884, he representing that he could not afford
TO hold them long, and as there was consd-
cradle profit in the transaction to him, for in
stance, 80 per cent. He was willing to sell
the orders at 10 per cent discount, while all
the time they were drawing per cent interest
II doubt was expressed rs to their genuneness
Or legality, he readily allayed it by showing n
certificate from one of the most noted lawyers
of the state that they were legal oh.
legations of the township, and then he would
offer to let the orders remain with the would
be purchaser, so that he could investigate the
matter. The latter, in almost every ca.o
wrote directly to the trustees, who were in
with the steal, and of course they answered
that the orders were all right. In several
cases the county clerks were asked rs TO the
valuation OF the property in the township, the
tax levy, etc., md in almost every cr<e the
answers were satisfactory. Having thus dis
nrmed any suspicion that might have existed
Pollard had little trouble in disposing of his
orders. These orders have been dealt in by
investors Of every kind, banks, private CAPT
talisis and Others, as the discounts and large
per cent made them very attractive.
In the cases that have thus far become pub
lie, the furniture was not delivered at ALL al
though in some cases there was q nominal
delivery of few articles. Heavy LITIGATION
will result. Pollard, the agent is profess
sionnl gambler, and one of the most expert
poker players in the country. He is worth
fully $500 0made in this way, and it is said he
has 500, 600 in government bonds, He is in
Canada helping the boys to keep up their cour-
age. If the people had him in Indiana, he
would certainly be severely dealt with