Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-10-30

any bad conduct or misdemeanor on
the part efany agent or purchaser"
After the organization became per-
fected, business was begun at once, and
it was bat matter Of . very few days
untiIit was known in Delta that the
Michigan and Great Western Seed Co.,
had not been organized and lncorporat-
ed for honest purposes, but that the
company was selling grain to farmers,
on the Bohemian oats plan, and, in
fact, was full fledged Bohemian Oats
company, and that the purpose OF the
organization was 20 swindle farmers by
selling them number of bushels of
wheat, oats or barley at an enormous
price by holding out extraordinary in
ducements to the farmer, and promis-
ing him big returns for his investment.
The inducements and methods will
be explained further along. "a
The fraudulent character Of the Mich
igan q Great Western Seed company
was known in few weeks to perhaps
every citizen of Delta. In fact so far as
Is known the company made. no effort
to keep the true character of the enter
prise secret from their neighbors.
They were out to make money, and
make itwith much more rapidity than
was possible by ordinary straigbtfor-
ward business methods.
Connected with the company were
some of the leading business men of
Delta, and men who had been citizens
of Delta for many years. These men
were we'll known to everybody.
Near the village of Delta where the
general offices of this swindling seed
company were located, lived Joseph H.
Brigham. Mr.. Brigham's farm extend
ed to the corporation line of the village
and in fact it was but ten minutes
walk from the center of the village to
his residence. Mr.. Brigham had lived
there for twenty years and was intima-
tely acquainted with all the people
who resided in Delta. He had held
positions of public and private trust
and was connected either by business
or social ties with nearly every man in
Delta.
1t is fair to assume therefore, that
Col. Brigham knew Of the Michigan d
Great Western Seed company, and
knew why thad been organized, and
had heard of its peculiar methods, be-
fore it had extended its business to the
point of selling his grain-its Red Drag
on Wheat, its Bohemian Oats, its MORN
ING STAR barley and other cereals, to
farmers, taking their notes of hand for
large amounts and thus perpetratiDg a
gross fraud and swindle upon the pub
lie.
Early in the year 1886 the Michigan
& Great Western Seed company print
ed circular. setting forth the fact that
it had new and peculiar variety OF
barley for sale, which had been raised
on the farm of Col. J. H. Brigham, and
which had been originated in a pecul-
lar manner. This barley was black and
hulless, and was represented to be a
wonderful grain, full of profit to the
farmer who would purchase the seed
and sow it.
THE CIRCULAR.
The circular was as follows: s-f Z
I CLINTON TWP, FULTON Co., o., ss
December 26, 1885. %
the farm of COL. ]. FL. BRIGHAM in
said township, do make the following
statement: In the spring of the year,
A. D. 1882, sowed about two quarts of
this barley, that had been propagated
from some heads that my son had found
growing among some common barley,
and obtained the first harvest, three
bushels, which again sowed In 1888,
upon the same farm. Finding it a great
yielder, and thinking by the looks OF
this grain that it would make good
flour, / took some of the grain to the
Wauseon mill, and had it ground. 1t
made good -four.
My barley grew about three feet high
aud has yielded as high as sixty bush.
els per acre for me. l always sowed it
broadcast, with two bushels per acre
on clean ground narrowed well before
sowing, then narrowed, and after that
I roll the ground. 1t is a very sure crop
to raise. The grain weighs 60 pounds
per bushel by measure, overweighing
other barley II pounds per bushel. II
is quite a curiosity while growing.
Iput somein a bottle and sent it to
the M. and G. w. Seed Co. by Col. J
Ell. Brigham, and after they saw ii
they wished to buy the whole of it
and have sold my entire crop and all
I had to said seed company. My P. O.
address is Wauseon, Ohio.
JESSE MORNINGsTAR.
Sworn to and subscribed in my pres
ence by said Jesse Morningstar, this
2Sth day of December, A. D., 1885. 81
A. B. SMITH,
II Clerk of the Court, Fulton Co., 0.
" [sEALl G., s..I II, 81
THE SALE OF THE BARLEY.
By reason of the representations
made by the company's agents and the
free use of Mr.. Brigham's name, they
sold the barley rapidly and the seed
was soon disposed of. The home com,
pany then apparently stated to Mr.
Brigham that the seed was going rap
idly, for the latter about that time ask
ed Mr.. Morningstar to sell all the seeC
to the company and to even clean the
chaff and tailings.
A FARMERS AFFIDAVIT.
To get at the truth regarding the sale
of the barley and the connection of Mr.
Brigham's name Herewith, Bee Wen
to Indiana and visited farmers who haC
been swindled. Affidavit was made by
Mr.. John Ashbaucher, of kirkland
township, Adams county, Indiana, {
man of splendid reputation and charac
ter, and who made the affidavit will
ingIy, as follows:
State of Indiana, County of fAdams- SIS
Before me, Paul q. Hooper, d notary
public within and for said county o
Adams, personally appeared on this 22t
day of October, 1890, John Ashbaucher