The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-03-21

ALFRED POST. about $lS0,OUO. Inc
names of several prominent capitalists be-
side Munger were freely mentioned as
victims of Post and his Western Freight
Claim Bureau. Notably among them is
the vice-president of one Of the largest
banking institutions in the city. The latter
is said to have placed $15, 600 with
Post At the end of sixty days
dividend of 30 per cent was
paid. 1t was the biggest rate of interest
the banker had ever received-much bigger
even than was paid him for loans to Ne
lraska farmers. He doubled and tr1pled
his investment, but one day he learned
something which made him suspicious Of
Post, and he demanded the return of his
money. He got it This restored conf
dence and after that the banker was an
easy victim. 1t Is said that Post left Chlca-
60 owing him $4,000.
There is another bank official whom rumor
places on the list of POSTS victims He is O
cashier and is said to have invested So, GOO
belonging to his friends. This cashier1s also
accused of having freely recommended Post
and his claim bureau, both officially and
privately. Several business men who have
been asked to invest with Post say that he
showed them letters signed by the bank
cashier and addressed to Eastern CORE
spopdents in which Post was strongly in
dorsed
c. R. Sites, of New York, is reported az
victim to the tune of $33, 0OO, and Chi
cago paper dealer is said to be heavy
loser. AL Spalding is known to have in
vested as high as $751; 600. but it is claimed
that he got it all back before going away
on his trip around the world. The people
believed that Post was doing q legitimate
business.
That Post made a big haul there can be
no doubt, and that he carried away from
Chicago at least SOC, 600 In cash Is almost
certain Some estimate his pile as high as
$5OO, 600.
A gentleman who is familiar with the
transactions between Post and Munger yes
terday gave some further details. He says
that when Munger finally opened his eyes to
the fact that he had been cheated he
threatened Post with criminal prosecution
The latter, it is said, at once telegraph ! fol
his Washington friend, Colonel Norton, who
went to Munger with a proposition to settle
Post agreeing to pay $50, 600 at once and the
other So, coo in installments of So, 600 each
the entire indebtedness to be discharged by
the end Of the year: Munger, it is said
accepted, and Post said he would 60 East
and secure the money from hi
friends The Eastern trip was evidently
a ruse to get out of town, for immedt.
ately on his arrival in New York he
wrote his Chicago attorney, instructing hin
to notify Munger that oil negotiations be.
tween them were off. Post, accompanied
by Colonel Norton, left Chicago February
IA. Letters came back three days later an.
nouncing that Post would not return fol
some time, and intimating that he had
started for Mexico. Detectives at once
started in pursuit, but have SO far been un.
able to find any trace of him since he LEFT
New York.
Post was q very secretive fellow, witt
took no one into his confidence regarding
his private affairs, unless it was Miss Byrne
his pretty typewriter. The fascination
exercised by the fair Miss Byrne are be
neved to have largely Influenced some O.
the stockholders in the matter of invest
ments. The Western Freight Claim Bureau
never seems to have had any stand
ing with railroad men, and the bust
ness done by it must have been yer,
small. Nevertheless, though they are uD
willing to admit it now, he must have ha(
very good references to do any business a
all, and some of these references must hav,
been railroad men. Much has been SAT-
about his extravagant investments in horse
flesh, and he did have some good horses
He had nine fine animals in his stable
which, 1t is said, represent an Investment O
So, 0OO The horses, buggies, harness ant
all the appurtenances Of the stable hav'
been attached