The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-04-22
MADE HIS FORTUNE
George C. Whitmore, of Nephi,
Buys a Gold Brick
FOR SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS
Now he Is the Possessor Of Beautiful
c. per Ingot and an Experience that viii
Last Him Several Seasons.

Provo, Utah, April 21.-lSpecial tele-
gram to TIE HERALD "A gigantic swindle
was perpetrated in Provo last night by
which George C. Whitmore, president of
the First National bank at Nephi and
prominent stock man of southern Utah, was
defrauded out of $4,000. A fellow by the
name Of Henry Johnson, who professed to
be profoundly ignorant and whose appear
ance naturally bore out that supposition,
came to town early yesterday morning en-
curing for a man by the name of Whit
more, a stockraiser, saying that he had
been entrusted with an important message
from an old acquaintance of this man, Whit
more, and that he could deliver it to no
other person but him. Ex-Sheriff ]. w.
Turner, of this city, an old friend of Mr..
Whitmore's, was communicated with and
he sent the man johnson to Nephi to
see Whitmore. The man went down
and told his tale. He related that
the man he came from was Spaniard;
that they were living on the outskirts of
Provo, being nervous about staying at a
hotel with the immense amount of gold
bullion they had in their possession; that
they had discovered valuable gold mine
in Mexico and had reduced the precious
metal into bricks. What they wanted was
to place these gold bricks with the bank
and sell them to the mint in consideration
for which services Whitmore was to re-
ceive handsome commission. Yesterday
afternoon Whitmore came up with Johnson
from Nephi, and last night accompanied by
j. w. Turner went down to the camp of
this old acquaintance. On arriving at the
camp Whitmore was introduced by John
son to the Mexican who gave his name as
Da Nacha Naha. Two gold bricks
and a drill were produced. Whit
more started drilling into the bars
and carefully placing the fragments
in an envelope, started for town to have
them tested. An arrangement was entered
into that if the bars proved to be as repre-
scented that he would give them $1,000 in
part payment. Reaching Provo, Whitmore
and Turner went to Mr. Beck, the jeweler,
and had him put the drillings to the test.
Sure enough it was gold and this morning
early Whitmore went TO the residence of
Cashier Dusenbury, of the First National
bank, and told him he wanted Sc, 900 in cur
rency. No explanations were made. The
money desired was handed over, and down
TO the abiding place of these two men went
Whitmore and Turner. The money was
turned over and the gold bricks
given up. Reaching town the precious
freight was placed IL the National bank
Colonel Moore, of the U. n. and c., looked
at them and took a few filings from them
which he placed in acid. Alas! The gold
bricks were nothing more than copper.
The news was soon carried to Whitmore
and now scouts are out everywhere on the
trail of the men. The bricks
are about 4 inches square and 16
inches long, weighing thirty-six and
thirty eight pounds respectively Were
they the good stuff represented, they would
fetch about $4,000, They have clear
ring, which of itself ought to dis pei any
thought of them being gold.