The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-10-05
EMlGRANTS TAKEN IN.
Many Foolish People FIeeced by Bogus
Land Agents.

Special Correspondence
SAN Francisco, Sept. 13.-I was walk
ing along Second street in Seattle few
days ago when | was accosted by an
elderly looking countryman, who in
quired where he would find certain
bank. i did not know, but directed him
to bank just opposite where we stood,
and advised him that he could there get
the desired information. While we were
talking woman came up to Join rs.
who, it transpired, was the daughter of
the old man, and the two had just ar
rived from Iowa for the purpose Of locat-
ing on government land.
The woman carTisl in her hand a
crumpled check on the bank for which
they had inquired. | held out my hand
for the check, and she gave it to me
without a word. 1t was properly filed
out and Endorsed, and called for a con-
siderable sum of money. 1t probably
represented the savings of years of pa
tent toll, and the people were no doubt
inspired with visions of wealth to be
easily acquired through judicIous in
vestment in western lands. | handed
the check back, with the suggestion that
it be folded and put out of sight of the
many people who would be attracted by
the public display of such paper in the
hands of strangers, or "tenderfeet." as
all new corners are called.
The streets of these western cities are
constantly patrolled by rascals in search
of Just such settlers" and the papers
hereabouts have almost daily recitals of
ignorant folks being fleeced by bogus
land lOcators, who lie in wait for their
gullible victims. These people had no
means of knowing who l was, and yet
they handed me their check 10 read with
out question as 10 the safety Of such a
transaction. | could but reflect how
easy it would have been for one of the
army Of confidence men in this country
to have volunteered to show them to the
bank, and either have steered them into
some bogus bank, a den Of partners IN
the trade of robbery, or else have taken
them TO the bank, assisted them in cash
ing their paper and then lowed them
into some side street, taken their money
on one pretext or another, and left them
penniless. 1t seems to be a waste Of ink
to print the oft recurring instances Of
the kind. Some farmers either do not
read the papers, or if they read them APP
pear not to profit by the exposures Of
the methods employed TO trap the IN
wary.
What wonder that SO many fall into
the hands Of sharks and are devOured?
Even the very doors Of the banks and
government land Offices in the new
states and territories are surrounded and
Swallowed by men whose only object is
to deceive and rob the unwary immi-
grant, and such have not the slightest
difficulty in marking their prey among
the untraveled and unsuspecting coun-
try1nen vino seek homes in this far west
A common method Of these gentry Is to
conduct the home seeker 70 the most at
tractiye locality, and represent it as
government land open TO presumption,
and collect az ex0rbItant fee for services /
rendered. when as q matter Of fact the
land pointed out Is the private property
of some early settler, and not even IN the
market at any price.
The government should establish by
law board to be known as the fool
killers" and every intending enigrant
10 any part Of the west should be sub
ject 10 a preliminary examination be-
fore this board, and all who are found
to be incapable Of passing a satisfactory
test as 20 their liability 70 fall easy prey
70 the species Of human jackal which
feeds chiefly upon suckers" should be
quietly electrocuted. and their money
held in trust for their children OF other
legal heirs. This measure would soon
nd the frontier cities and settlements Of |
a dangerous and pestiferous element !
which now fattens upon the class refer
red 70. ". q. BENToS-