The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-08
FRIENDS FRAUD.
The Extent Of 1t Grows Each Day,
The Manner In Which the Skin Was
Pulled Over Eyes
OF Business Men Who Were On To
Most Everything
The Electric Refining Process Had
Universal Reputation.
What Visit TO the Home Of the Friends
in Michigan Reveals The Great
Style in Which They Live
and How IL Was Done.

CnlcAGo, I'LL. Jan. IA correspondent for
a local paper, who has beea investigating
the electric sugar.rcRniny case at Milan
and Ann Arbor, Mich, says that the hand
somely fitted houses recently occupied by
Mrs, Friend aud the Towards, at the
former place, is now deserted. The ar
rival Of President Cottrill at Ann Arbor
Friday created considerable OF stir at
Milan, and the afternoon train bore Mrs.
Friend and Mr.. Howard 10 Ann Arbor.
The lady showed herself sparipgly on the
train, but Mr.. Howard was in and out
everywhere. lie was in a desperate hurry.
lie endeavored to borrow q, 900 from two
different gentlemen, offering TO give mort
cages on the Milan property as security,
but as he wanted the money Immediately,
they were either not able to or not willing
10 accommodate him.
Sunday afternoon the correspondent
succeeded in interviewing Mr.. Cottrill.
This gentleman, after showing a sample
OF the sugar alleged TO have been refined
by Friends process, said; About month
ago things were ready, rs far as we could
see, TO make the demonstration, which, II
satisfactory, was TO warrant us in paying
Mrs. Friend S75, 900 for her secret. Mr..
Howard, Mrs. Friends stcp-iather, was In
charge OF the works. The excuses for
not starting up at once was that
the cank-shaft was too weak. IL took
about week TO remedy this defect.
Then the machinery WIS started and in
two hours and fifteen minutes sixty.two
barrels OF Friends prodnct were turned
out. The mill was then stopped because
il was claimed some OF the bearings were
hot Friday and Saturday another run
was made and sixty-eight barrels Of re-
fined sugar was the result The best sugar
men in tho country were at the mill and
everybody was satisfied. The Friend party
gave ~ an excuse for not going right on
that II was impossible with the help they
had 10 handle the vast quantity OF sugar
necessary TO keep the mill running stead.
| lily. You see Il would 4 do 10 employ
men with sense cnouglcio understand
what was going on, nor ntA entirely igno.
rant OF what WIS required Of them, No We
had no real ground Tor complaint because
the mill was idle temporarily. The dc.
monsiration was apparently all that We
had demanded Of II, aud VIC were prepared
10 carry out the terms OF the contract.
The contract stipulated that $4,000 was TO
be deposited In New York and made pay
able TO Mn. Friend when she had Ill.
yulgcd the secret Of the process. She was
TO have 5000 in cash before telling any.
thing.
came on here end met Mrs. Friend
a week ago in the Office Of her attorneys,
| Mcssm. sawyer and knowlton. Mrs.
Friend insisted that the $1,000 should be
deposited In Michigan. The contract
said that tho money should be deposited
| In New York, but | nnnnlly consented 10
have Il placed in Michigan. Then she
demanded the 5000 In cash. I refused
To DO this on the ground that " did. the
deposit being in Michigan. the whole
thing would be In theiF hands. I said
however, that would place the 5000 In
the hands Of her attorneys with the un.
dcrstanding that before the money was
paid 10 Mn Friend they should see
twenty barrels Of sugir turned out, and
give me written statement 10 the effect
that the same was produced from raw su.
| gar by the process, the secret Of which we
were negotiating Tor. THIS was Saturday
/ Mrs. Friend dcmuncd and We adjourned
| TIL Monday. Monday she was unwilling
to accept my propositions, whcruupOn |
made the cash oilcr Of $4,000, subject 10
| the same conditions Mra Friend then
declared fatty that she would agree 10 no
such conditions. Upon this ] said 10 her
"Mn. Friend, people have had great
deal Of confidence in you, but now
must beg that you answer one question:
| II has always been understood that by
your process the refined product IN made
direct from raw sugar. j. that iact2"
III don't consider that a proper qucs.
ton. said Mn. Friend.
"lt II emincntly proper | answered,
land must bc answered before We can pro-
cced."
Mrs. Friend hcsitatcd while and said
she would have Ia speak 10 her attorney
| privately. Withdrew, and after quito u
while the attorney came nut, aud, imagine
my feelings when hc said. "Will a pro-
coas ior manipulating uhncd sugar be Of
any value ~ YOUR
"No," l said, snaPping my fingers, 'it
won't be worth that
"well, then" he said. "tho best thing
YOU can do Is 10 go back to New York as
soon a. YOU can"
Mn. Friend wanted mo- 10 wait another
wook and discuss mitlgp. further, but
hal heard enough 10 diuidc the. ] took
The attorneys advice. went back 10
New York as quickly as / could. took
Robertson with me and entered the mill.
dcmgnded the keys - the secret rooms
OF the man In charge and broke into them.
This was last Wcdnc8lay.
Mr.. Collnll then related the story Of
Inc discovery In the 'hctDry' subsian'
TALLY ~ Il had been told before. There
was one secret ROOM, BE- said, more
secret than the othcrL 1h.H was known
as the strong room, and Il was regular
vault, Gre and burglar proof, 11. We man
aged to get In aud siW nothing but the
.dw sugif wc bad shipped there
"Mhll Was the object o fitting up such
q f01mg asked the correspondent ,.,
"Why II there WIS - room INTO whlch
no one could get, Thea no uU" could say
positively that there VS. ~ ..ciel pro
| cafa"
How DO YOU account llf ih' ilc. lnh'
with nll there was lHpruiiIs on lh'
utility oi this process, thgn .l3'hi were
vacant l0f mou thnu lNur weave.