The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-09-11
MANY INVENTORS ouPeO.
Three Isogus Patent lsruk~r~ Arrrssrsl tn
San FrMmrisrss.

Three sss,xa. Patent Isrssker. Arr-.s-si tn
SIAN Frnnci.rss.
SAN FRANCIsCO, Sept. 1O.--tbnc of the
bolsiest swinsilisig schemes ever known i'm
this city has been uncarthcd by the arrest
Of Clarence Sant,orn. Samuel SantDrii
and Edward l.. Aiken ny the United
States marshal. The men arc charged by
the United States postofiicc authorities
with using the United States mails for
fraudulent purposes. for swindling. and
for obtaining money under falsc pre-
tCiIsss.
Connrla;nts have hccn made tn the chief
of police and TIN. y,s,stoiiisc authorities
during the pas, year. alleging frauds and
deception on tho part of the Pioneer Pat
cnt Agency. the Glolp.. Patent Agency and
the Occidental Patent Agency in this city.
Hundreds of mechanics. workin,.ui'n and
inventor throughout the t,it"d s'tate~
and Canada claim Ia, hav,. bcru swind;ci
ont Of variotis sums, ranging from s',n to-
SltD. ny these. firms.
After IA long AMI careful investigation.
the secret agents uf the postofIic" depart
ineut have s,pr.,dc,l i'm s,'s,,iriii, evidence
against TIA. parties involved. Th,,s' three
so-caiicd Agencies we're all oj,"-at"d Ivy
the same men. AMI ii,"'r workings date
back ns far as tS>j.
Each week tie firm received u copy of
Tia. t"isAf oUirc ar.rii-. published i'm
Washington. Tli, periodical gives II de-
tailed record cf every new patent and in
vr,tio, with the n.,,nc and address OF III.
inventor. The Pioneer agency then pro-
ce''icd tn send ont eftticiug circulars. pro-
coast at enormous figures. To each OF
tiic pruSp"ctiy" clients tho .ii,'us'y sent -
statement. claiming that "a cash advance
of 500 would i"' rcduir'.ti I" prnprriy ;,d- ;,d-
y"riisc the invention. The Inventors he.-
ing anxious tu dislsosc az their patents
would readily send the cash advance.
When th" victims became uneasy. let
tcrs like the following were. sent them !:
AVE have not been able to effect a sale of
your patent ON account of a patent of the.
same kind issued in ls1a." To another
hnpa,icn, victim n letter like the following
was sent:
"Icor Sir:-wc have been ri,shiu: the sale s,f
your patent to tn" 'c., " our nhi,iiy; Although
". have had several inquiries r.@niiy. W. have
nui been able Ia tsnsi,.,iniair 70 trade.
Recently the gang h'rarnc more bold
and practiccd the following method of
would write TO uu inventor as follows /:
1--WE have found a. purchaser for your i'm
vcntion. He has agreed to- give yo, S.i.Ou,
for the P.ciii: slope. and has dep sites,
then request the inventor to forward 50,
$50 to pay the cost of making "a scars.l,
of the records AT Washington and com
pairing the invention with others of its
class. IL the victim sent tho money. ln.
would sometime afterwarxi bc notified
that the purchaser had hacked out. that
! the invention was Just like some other.
In this way h,,nsirctls Of inventors were.
worked. not only 10y Ollie of the. agencies.
hut in some instances Ivy all tlIrss. of them.
Within the last year Chief of Police
from all parts of the United States asking
for information rs.garling the various
/ patent agencies. The chief OF police sent
the letters to- the pt,stoffice inspectors in
! this city. a searching investigation was
4 instituted. and the atidrs.ss of those wiiu
I had sent registered letters To the agencies
were looked up, and as a result. evidence
/ has been Obtained showing that a great
I many Individuals have suffered 10y SAN
I born and his gang. All OF the men We're
released on slepositing $1,000 bail each.