Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-07-14
A CLEVER ROGUE,
A Swell Stranger Does the Town
for S3,500
TIE Manner of His Confidential
Transactions and Modes of Dupins--
Where is Hey

Much concern has been felt of late in
regard to the whereabouts of one Robert
|. Skies, who came to Rock Island with
his wife from Denver, he alleged. early
in the spring, representing himself as
having charge of An extensive territory
for certain patent right He stated
that he had abundance of money and
that he had undertaken his new avocatiou
as observation-disclosures it gave him
opportunity for recreation. He engaged
desirable suite of rooms at the Harper
house and had them furnished at a cost
of $500. local firm making the furniture
10 order. Mr.. Skles as he gave his
NAME had no trouble in getting credit,
and he contracted several heavy debts at
livery stables, II furnishing goods house
drug store and jewelry store, to
say nothing of his hotel bill. He
dressed in the height of fashion
was of genllrmanly appearance
and good address, and while the
croakeTs about town who make it their
business 10 hunt mp the ancestry and
financial standing of every stranger who
appears in the city cast many imputa.
tons upon him, the majority of people
with whom he did business were inclined
TO trust him. and did So freely, notwith>
standing that he was entirely unknown in
the three cities
About month ago Mr. and Mrs
Skllcs went 10 Sterling. Mr.. : stating
that he had some important business TO
transact there. Time passed and no word
coming from him. his creditors became
uneasy and one of them wrote him and
received prompt reply from MIR. Skies |
setting forth that he had expected To re
turn to Rock Island before that time bnt |
that he was in the midst of An extensive |
deal which he expected to consummate in |
4 few days and would then return to Rock |
Island, which he expected to make his
home, for time ut least. These assnr> |
ances set things at rest for while. bat
soon the old feelings of distrust were re-
vived, and some of the creditors be-
came curious, if not anxious. They
were not prepared To make charges, and
they concealed their feelings AS much As
possible. 1t was at the request of these
creditors that the papers made no men,
ton Of the matter, the maiority of them
feeling that MIR Skiles WAS AL right and
would yet turn up and slraighlen things
ont.
AT last, however, the furniture firm
which had put in the $500 worth Of fur
hlture became restless and last evening
got out writ of replevin for the fnrni~ s
ture. Sheriff Silvis served it and re-
covered it. Today the sheriff also re
plevled $500 piano for D. Roy Bowlbv
Ii is now understood that Mr.. SkiIes
has lett Sterling in tue same fix he did
Rock Island. II this is true and no trace
2sn be found of him, his creditors here f
VIII be Of the opinion that they have been
made victims of cleverly played game I
II swindiing, and that the finely dressed,
1uslness>like, pleasant hammered stranger
Vas frand Investigation as to who he
$ or where he came from have thus
ar been fruitess.
1t Is estimated that he has done Rock
siand up" to the extent of So, 500 a, 3
east for, in addition to unpaid bills
md borrowed money, he had figured in a /
'ouple or so of real estate transactions in
Which one citizen alone loses $500
md another sts00 while the proper,
Y has been transferred second time.
md those who are out in the deals g
AVE to look only to MIR 5 for explana,
lon and satisfaction. After going to Ii
'''ihuS ht returned Twice to Rock ISL
md, the second time taking his wife back
With him.
One citizen, who has been duped to the
Xtent of 81 800 by the purchase of one
II SkiIes' patent rights, and found that it v
worthless, and an infringement, re 1
urned this afternoon from an nnsuccess-
uI attempt to get some trace of the 5
lever swindler He found that Skilcs +
lad left Sterling mysteriously last suns
lay morning accompanied by his wife
eaving a hotel bill and other unpaid &C
cunts amounting to 5000 His where \
bouts are now entirely unknown. He il
'ot S2,4o0 in actual cash out of Rock 5
STAND, and this of course does not in
Jude the board and other luxuries en- :,
Dyed by himself and wife which have Il
ot been paid