The true northerner., 1886-03-25
DECLARED sw1.pLyRs

DECL I'D
Important Verdict Against Bohemian Oats Agents
in Seneca County.
Special to the Commercial Gazette.
TIFFIs. o., February 19:-The bohemian oats
swindlers got black eye in the common pleas cour,
here Wednesday. AS this county is the birthplace
Of the swindle, the decision looked upon with
great interest, and the court crowded with
members Of theg gang, many OF whom were beginning
| 10 feel i'll at ease.
The case WAS as follows:
John Heydinger first bought oats of the assoca-
ton, and received bond that they would sell double
the amount for him. The following year the agen,
Of the association fulfilled the bond, and sold GER
| tain number OF bushels for Heydinge-, receiving
| from him a cash commission Of $3.50 per bushel
Ten bushels of these oats sold to W. =. Mar
quis of Venice township, this county, he giving his
note for 500 in favor Of Heydinger, and receiving
the usual bond Of the association. The bond
, rs.~,-d, and Marquis refused 10 pay tie note
Heydinger, who still held the note, brought suit for
same with interest.
Judge Dodge in charging the Jury. said that tTf
they found that Heydinger his agent knew at the
time Of the sale, that there any swndie In the
matter, or would be at any future time or had any
reasonable grounds to suppose there would be
land Il IL hard to see how any man. taking into con-
sderation the exorbitant price Of grain could fa
TO see that 1t would run out some tme) . swinde,
then the note was void and the court Will leave the
matter where Ia is." Owing TO the number and
prominence of the men engaged In the business he
did not like TO call 1t swindle from the face Of the
Transaction but would leave that for the Jury 10 de-
eide. But the jury decided that Heydinger was a
swindler; Marquis, having accepted boRd to do
the same thing, was also one 10 oil intent and pur-
pose.
The jury, after being out several hours, last even
ing returned a verdict that the oats business was
swlndlo and the note was void. The jury was COM
posed Of good, substantial business men and far
mers.
We also have lengthy communication
from l.. Il. MCGOWAN, of Lawrence, who was
victimized last year by men whom, he says,
represented this same company, "the Henry,
Crawford and Williams County Bohemian
Oat Association" in which he gives O CODY
Of the "bond" signed by Mr.. M. ID. Zimmer-
man. He says they never fulfilled their
agreement with him, but that he expects to
pay the note. The Hamilton agents have
visited Mr.. MCGOWAN and learned his story.
but excused themselves by claiming theirs
to be n different association. We would
give Mr.. McGowan's article in full but for
want of room.
Do our farmer friends want any more
conclusive proof that this bohemian cat
business is a swindlo throughout IL "a .
swindle ON general principles and any farm.
or who deliberately enters into tho scheme,
with these facts before him, for the purpose
Of doubling his money next year out Of
others, thereby becomes party to kho nefa-
rious work and cannot expect to be called an
honest man. II is certainly one OF the bold
est, most bottomless and open handed
thioving schemes the farmers have TO con-
tend with and they should answer the agents
with good, solid club. We hope this arti
Gle will find its way promptly into every
Grange and farmers CLUB in the county.
and that our brethren of the press will assist
in the work.
Those who have already invested their
money ought to combine TO fight the thiev-
ing scoundrels the same as the honest people
of Ohio have done. OF course some of the
local agents are more or less excusable for
their part in the work because of their igno-
rance as TO the facts, but il they should still
persist in trying to "rope in" those whom
the proverbial fool-killer has missed il would
be ON excellent idea 10 have them arrested.