The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-04-12
DAyIsON's DEPRAyITY.
A Former Well.kn0wn Rock Islander
Comes to Grief Through his own
Rascality.

Three years ago Samuel Dawson Kept
cigar store on Second avenue, between
Eighteenth and Nineteenth streets
where Grotjan's drug store is now stu
ated He was short man about 40 years
of age and wore black side whiskers. His
wife dressed rather loud, drove about
nearly all of the time in a phaeton and
took an active part in church matters.
Dawson afterwards followed the same
business at Davenport. Here and in Dav.
export he was not regarded as the most
square dealing man in the world, and he
afterward left Davenport under cloud
of suspicion. OF recent caper of this
man Dawson, the Chicago Inter Ocean
has the following. j. Roemheld, of Chi
cago, became tool to Davison's tricks,
and it is his conversation with reporter
| which is given:
About three years ago man calling
| himself Samuel Dawson, called at his
| place OF business and bought small bill
of goods Dawson represented that he
Was in the business of spirit rectifying
and told Mr.. Roemheld that he would
like to have his (Davison's) mail sent to
the address above, and Indicating that he
would order more goods from time to
| time from Mr.. Roemheld, to be shipped
as he might direct. Dawson told Mr.
Roemheld that the latter should open his
letters in order to answer the orders for
mis- goods. Soon the letters began COM
ing and, as Mr.. Roemheld said To the res
porter, they came by the thousands -but
not one containing an order and many,
if not all, were complaints. About a
year ago. or in January, 1885, Mr.. Roem-
held received the following letter, dated
at the Conkling house, Mt Carroll. Ill.
| DEAR SIR:-After a long siege of ill
ness am compelled to 60 to Baltimore,
and have barely time to make connecs
tons tomorrow. ! have large number
of orders to fill, which | will forward
You, together with cash for same from
Baltimore. | would respectfully request
you to forward me without delay all mail
addressed to my address as given below,
and future mail, unopened, to same ad
dress. Respectfully,
SAMUEL DAWSON,
No. 1856, E. Baltimore ST., Baltimore, Nd
Since this time Mr. Roemheld says that
+ very many letters have come, which have
been forwarded as requested. He stated
J that down town liquor dealer has in his
possession a certificate issued by Dawson
IN which the right is given to rectify
spirits, etc, within certain prescribed
territory. The man to whom one of these
, certificates would be issued, Mr. Roem,
held said, would be given the right to
; rectify spirits in the territory as per the
! recipe given, and the process promised tC
: be so much cheaper than the usual WAY
that man would be led to think he was
going to enter into very lucrative bust
ness. Dawson would tell the man thai
he would have the necessary material,
sent to him from the above address on
Halsted street, and that the matera
would cost, say 800 The buyer would
pay S25 or $50 down, and the balance
would be collected c. o. d. when The
goods arrived. But the goods never
arrived. Mr.. Roemheld thought that
those who held compounders license, as
it was called, and had the right to rectify
spirits, would be naturally anxious &c
obtain any information showing how they
could do the work cheaper OF course,
there may have been many others who
thought they saw a means of making
money by an evasion of the law liz
was outspoken III denunciation OF
Dawson, pronouncing him fraud. ant
saying that he must have made thousands
of dollars out of the scheme. Not find
ing out what line OF occupation the re
porter was engaged in, and possibly
imagining that the scribe was detective
Mr.. ROemheld was free in his explanation
that the facts in his possession as Il
Dawson would be gladly given. II,
stated that there had been representatives
of commercial agencies at his place, AMI
also detectives looking into the matter
In his possession he had the following
card
Samuel Dawson, general manager o
the United States distilling company
New process. Eastern Office, No. 90,
Water street, New York, Main Office, 80
Brady street, Davenport, Iowa"