Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-05-10
A Faded Fortune.

Several weeks ago we gave iiotice Of
the good fortune of Mr.. G. n. skinner,
of llamlin township, who had received
notice that he was joint heir to an
estate In Kentucky, and that his portion
of the proceeds would amount to about
5000 These representations were
made to the Bank of Extra, and with
good security skinner secured n loan
OF 800 to go To Carlisle, Kentucky, and
present his claim. He was met at the
station by u cousin and an uncle and
given courteous escort about the town;
was taken to the country and shown
tho broad acres upon which he could
plant his foot and claim as his own. IL
was represented, however, that lien
of $500 was on the land which must be
discharged before skinner could exc
cute deed and receive the money for
his portion. The heir-apparent appeal
cd to his friends here to help him to
this emergency fund, and check for
500 was sent to him at Carlisle, but
was returned to the sender within
few days. The cousin and uncle then
told Skinner that they would take u
team, which, by the way, was among
his prospective possessions, ut $500,
leaving but $500 for him to raise to Sc
cure the satisfaction of the $500 lien.
| lie again sent to Extra, and secured
the necessary $500 loan. He executed
the papers rolnquishing his right to
the property, and, rs alleged, paid the
$500 on the lien, and received $1,000
as his portion of the estate. This
amount was counted out to and by
Skinner, placed In a box, and consigned
by express to his address ut Atlantic,
Iowa. skinner returned TO Iowa, ac-
cepted his consignment from the ex-
press office at Atlantic, brought IL to
his home and gathered about him u
beVy OF admiring and respectful neigh
hors with privilege to feast their eyes
during the ceremony of unpacking his
vcritable mine of wealth. What was
their astonishment to find that the box
contained only u beer bottle carefully
packed in papers. Skinner appeared
rs much surprised rs any of the wit
nesses, and the question as to where or
when the fraud was perpetrated, Is tho
problem that battles the most perspi.
cacious and has thrown the egg puzzle
in the shade. The officers of the Bank
of Extra, of whom Skinner obtained
the 800 to prosecute his claim, had
him arrested, MS soon rs fraud was
shown, for obtaining money under false
pretenses. Tho preliminary examina-
ton was held before Squire Houston
at Extra last Thursday, ]. l., Statzell
appearing for the prosecution, and }.
NJ. Griggs and Theo. +. Myers for the
defense. The circumstances MS above
outlined were elected, skinner being
the ouly witness rs to the transac tions
in Kentucky. lie was bound over In
the sum Of $1,000 TO await the August
session Of the district court, and IN de-
fault of bail was remanded to the county
| jail. skinner obtained an additional loan
of Si26 from Mrs. Hannah Dean, a
widow lady living near Extra, under
the same representations. The lady IL
is thought, will be a loser ms the loan
was without security. Only the 300
bank loan was adequately secured,
Tho prosecution believes ,hat the
representations made by Skinner were
part of n scheme TO extort money,
while counsel for the defense IL of the
opinion that their client was the sub
ject of q confidence game. Doubtless
additional facts will be developed when
| the case comes before district court. For
the solution rs tn who was the benen-
ciary and culprit an anxious public
must wait until the "mists have rolled
away"