Evening journal., 1889-08-01
slllclnE AT DOVER.
Nerve Enough to Defraud, But not
Enough to Face the Music.

Nerve Enough to Defraud, hut not
Enough to Face the Music.
Special correspondence EvRsIEo JOURNAL
DOVER, August About Month
ago q young man famed L. A. Sleighter,
purportinR 20 represent the Peoples
Exchange Of Reading, Pa, came TO TINS
town and stopped at Captain Morris
boarding house on New street. BE was
a very bright and gentlemanly
vounp man in appearance and
seemed perfectly honorable and
fair in all his dealings. He repre-
sented the organization for which he was
working as having for its object the pur-
chase Of all kinds Of goods Of the manu-
facturers direct, through the local retailers
thus saving the profits TO wholesalers.
He visited almost every business man
in town trying TO induce them to take
stocks in the exchange at So per
share, which would entitle them
to buy through the exchange.
He was also trying to establish agencies
in all the towns of the state. Each
agent was to deposit with the Exchange
the sum of $400 as a guarantee of good
faith. receiving from $50 to $lOO per
month This scheme appeared fraudu-
lent. The EVENING JOURNAL requested
Morris E. Nose of Wilmington. who has
lately located q clothing store IN
Dover. to investigate and expose
tie fraud. if any. Mr Moses ac
coppljshed the end very cleverly and sent
an exposure to the JOURNAL which was
printed on Monday. ahead Of all other
papers, together with letter from /. A
Sleighter acknowledging that tn,
Peoples Exchange was not what It pur
/ ported to be.
On Tuesday evening he seemed per
fectly cheerful and had some company il
mis- room until 10. 80 o'clock. He-ieft thi
house sometime during the night, leaving
7 two letters in his room, one addressed q
his father in Strasburg Pa. the Other
to the public. The one to the publi
stated that he had been disappointed il
love and In business.
At FIRST this letter was supposed to b
! a dodge to get away and elude pursuit
but the fact that. be left all his belong
3 ings, valued at $50 or $40, served to dis
! pei suspicion and to cause suspicion 0
2 suicide. No trace Of his body was foun
5 until about 3 .. m Wednesday afternoon
7 when three boys named Charles Wright
Eldad Wright and Willie Thompson
e while in swimming in Silver Lake, nea
a Hsmans ice house, saw coat
, and in attempting to get it foun
d the body. Philip Cubbage, colore
( man, was called, who dragged u
body ashore and notified Deputy Coron'
Butler. who wired Coroner Jacobs I'll
l. body was brought in town and taken
e Undertaken Smiths where it awaits Il
d eoroners inquest. 1t appears that Sleig
ter had waded into the water TO b
e shoulders. about fifteen feet from shor
|: and shot himself over the left eye falliI
e into the water, showing his determin
IS ton to make his death doubly sur
When found he was dressed in bl
t, coat, light flannel shirt and white strip
le trousers, slouch hat and a white crav,
8 He was a good-looking young man, g
8 parently about 25 years old, and wore
Or light moustache. His features were d
d. torted when found and the position
his arms showed that he had struggle
le On inquiry it appears that he knew lit
r. or nothing about the company for viii
ht he worked when he entered 1t and v
duped as he was trying to dupe othe
s. There is but little doubt that the
he change is fraud and this is one Of
ut victims. Sleighter had quit work for
le. exchange few days ago, and had be
town. kilograms fail to reach his fatl
so far. and considerable mystery lies
meath the whole affair.