Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-08-01
an 1eryr nEoUnsrED TO oU1r.
sieighter OF tlie Peopies' Exchange
Not Wanted in Dover.

Sieightor OF the Peopies' Exchange
Not Wanted in Dover.
DOVER, July 30.-The State Capital
just now is all agog over the presence of
q swindler who has been operating, for
some time past. Early last month pre-
tentious looking young man, giving the
name of L. A. Sleighter, made his Rp-
pearanoe in this community, established
himself at Morris boarding house, and
inserted advertisements like the follow
ing in the Wilmington aud Dover papers:
VXTANfED-FIYEY YOUNG MEN FOR
wv responsible position Of trust; so to $50
per month salary to start; 500 cash NJ security
required. Address LOCK Bon 40,
Dover, Delaware.
Very soon his efforts were rewarded by
the recsipt OF seores OF letters. He eI-
planned to each applicant that the .'posi-
tions of truet" required tho deposit OF
the $500 before any negotiations could
he begun. The idea he said was to secure
agents for the Peoples Exchange" OF
Reading, Pa. The object of this exchange
was to furnish general merchandise to its
customers at much lower rate than the
cost of manufacture. For instance,
through this med um $50 set OF harness
could be bought for 800, $3.50 buggy
for 800, o $40 suit of clothing
for SIS and other articles at pre-
portionate prices. In short the
scheme was to revolutionize the trade OF
the Peninsula. The willy ways and To-
quacity of 5leighter served as magnet
to the unsuspecting, and ere long he
numbered his agency applicants by the
score. The latter wanted to know what
security they would have for the $500
and were told that guaranty documents
would be given them. The reason given
for the requirement OF the $400, was that
the agents were likely to secure large or
ders, and that large amount OF the pur-
chase money would invariably be paid in
advance. Sleighter gave it out that he
would not allow his agents to oommuni-
cate directly with the exchange, but that
all corr dependence must be done through
him. The agents could work either on 3
salary or on liberal commission.
In the course OF several weeks Sleigh
ter, who by this time had become we'll
known and was thought TO be straight,
succeeded in entrapping several pre-
sumed agents, but whether or not he
succeeded in getting the entire $500 in
every case it is not known. The names
of those entrApped cannot be learned
nor can anything definite be found ont
as to how many, il any orders the
exchange secured.
The face Of the plan is evidence
enough to the discreet that il is i'm.
plausible. The introducer knew this fol-
he confined his dealings strictly TO those
whom he knew to be unsuspesting aud
who could easily be gulled into the
meshes. There is no apparent evidence
that Peoples Exchange" actually e1.
lists. The current opinion is that thu
concern emanated from the active brain
of Sleightar and that he is running tbs
whole show alone.
Within the past few days come OF the
townspeople have become Suspicious and
Henry W. Cannon editor Of the Sentinel
determined to sift the affair to the bot
tom. He called upon Sleighter saying
he had @400 which a friend had give,
him to deposit with the exchange fo- th'
purpose Of securing an agency. Sleigh
ter's eyes flashed ct the prospect Of Sc
curing the money and the Involvement
he made to the 2aller were fahulousl.
humorous. After awhile the expected
victim told the schemer tbst he had goo
reasons for believing that the who'll
thing was q fraud and that the soone
he (sleighter) shook the dust 0
this moral town from his feet til
better it would be for him. This state
ment struck the man dunbfounded. IA
was practically spsechless, and then soc
ing thgt ne was cornered, made q cleR
breast OF the whole aH.ir, pretending
however, to assume an air Of injura
innocence. He pleaded that he bad bog
led into trap and that he was in no wa
responsible for anything he had don,
What counter- balanced this plea, hos
ever, was the refusal of Slsightsr 10 Civ
his address, the names Of thoss whom
said he had appointed ns agents, or IL
ana1nts Of security he had received.
was tod pUint-biaok that his dom
wnuld oe made pubic Gad that he stol
good snow OF being arrested for swi
ding. lie is still ia t1gu, hut it is 81
10 say he has discontinued operations.
II is thought that the GJants did L
get any orders here. II !Eey did, tho
concerned are keeping very clio
mouth now thai taay $50 the ''Peopl
Exchange" e0i l., A. Si7igbter hAt
largely Of being 3 genuine s@inile.
LEE Journal hiss been 10 receipt
several Communications aT0n tla snbit
from both Sleighter sna ]. t. Il. Pl"
of Recalling, Pa, who writes on the .pt'
head Of 'rhe Peep ss Exchanges" OH
hSEuiHHt a.. 4Sa-lLAlE++sS AaAah.S NfhA'
City, Mo, and publishers OF the LiGs1o
Ne'es a 39-paFe monthly. The ccmIu
cations from the latter speaks Of alsssf
al 50 blsekma:ier, who hGs hesu I
charged hy The exchange bacau1s o.
demand That the exchange nhoUld pay
board BILL aiel2b'et W tor tAat sis
tention hes been called 40 the iA.t
tie Peoples E1c4aHse il Uawottty
trust, and altsr Iuv0sti 7eiiou s!l q =
isfied with It's arrangement. Ann
Communication qtateg taRt lie hes rssi-
his agency ip tue hE@baGge. L. 8 III
from Mr. POEell he icy.5aa the ~ 81,
vgstias;iop II lie cgsga..ons Of E.s
change. --ED,
'Ehr Peoples ESchanGe lffnlr
Special lisEl'ah &c raatsIUl I0nwvl,
DOVER July jI.-Sleibasaz hEs
signed all connection with he y Iha'
he says he notified 81 tho3e Wi.l VI
he had any business Of hlg leayipB
exchange. He ssys hs Eent into
thing in good faith rot .aiUklng Dat Y
eyarVEhlnp Wgs 81 i Mt He slSp he