Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-04
UNDERSTANDING
e,,ccessFuLLY PRAcTlcEDlN SOUTH.
WEST VIRGINIA.
A povus Agent Gets Fees Out Of Inno'
cent Attorneys by Promising Them
rvo-Thirds Commissions.
49,, ,o,sgr.n 70 In, DIspa,ch.,


Ho.xoKr. Va. September 3.-In Februa-
- 1850 a mIddle-aged. well-dressed man,
nhosa ,ongue seemed oiled for the occa-
sion. appeared in this city and at once
,,ade his wav 10 the law Office of Miller II
smith and finding the gentlemen in a
pleasant humor proceeded to unrayel to
them his plan of dong business. He said:
..Mv name is John NJ Martin, and l travel
in the interest Of G. d. Lipscombe IL Co.,
General managers Of the Eastern Mercan-
Fla Agency. Of 1876 Fifth street. Philadel-
nbia and orr business is to establish agents
IN every city and town in the United states.
Your firm has been selected and Wish To
enter into az agreement with you.
THEY WE'RE TO GET TWO THIRDS.
Ueoxnla,ned that two thirds of the COM
yn;seion ON claims placed In their hands Tor
this section would be given to tho attor-
news. and the remaining one thlrd mus, pe
RENTED TO the agency. HIS memoersnlp
fee was S3j, but on berg toiu tlnt wa.
was too much, gave reduction, OF $40 ana
made the amount $50. 10 DC pau Ut on0o'
GULLgD.
The proposition was considered, ana as
il seemed quite good thlng, was reauilS
stated amount. The year passed and no
business came. The firm investigated the
matter and found that no such concern
WAC in existence, and that man answer,
inc 10 the description OF the swlndler had
been GENERATING in number OF places, H.
Guiding several northern cities.
RAGGED HIS GAME AGAIN.
Nothing was heard of him until to-day,
rhen the same man appeared on our
stTeets again and began his operations
nnder different plan on this same class
of people however. He laid a similar
trap for Mr.. W. II. Turner, young attor-
new, and bagged his game on the hrst
round. He represented J. NJ. Martin
Co., of 20 Nassau street, New YORK, anu MS
card showed they were doing business
nnder fhe name of the United States Col
lection Agency He said they required no
compensation from their attorneys except
a yearly fee of S25. and he would guaran-
fee a business ten times rs large. Mt;
Turner gave his check for the amount ana
a recent being given the swindler at once
made his way to Salem.
CAUGHT AT LAST.
Commonwealth's-Atto koy b. Smltn
LEARNING OF his return aud of his new game
at once had warrant issued for ms arrest
charging him with embezzling $50 from
Miller Il Smith ana so lroil :, vi noii
An officer was sent after the swlndler ana
he was brought back TO this city tins eve
ming. On being cornered by Mr.. Smith he
virtually admitted that It was only
scheme gotten up by himself and one other
to defraud the public.
OTHERS TAKEN IN.
TIE Commercial National Bank Of this
cltv and Hon. John j. Johnson and }. ii.
Hoge. of Christiansburg, had also been
taken in to the tune Of $50 each: Much
credit is due Commonwealth
Smith in bringing him to justice. and those
in other sections of the State who have
been duped will confer favor on the at
torney and especially the victimized law
yers by making their cases known.
Martin was remanded to Jail for ten days
to await trial.
HIS LAWYER AND WIFE HERE.
He claims NJ. NJ. Gillian, of Richmond.
as his attorney, and says he has a wife
living III the same city