Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-28
PARKER'S PICKINGS.
The Levanting of a Loan
Association Agent.
A Swindling Concern Exposed
By the Herald.
The National Capital, Savings, Build
ing and Loan Society.
Many Poor People Swindled by
Smooth Operator-One of the Vic
Tins Tells Her Experience.

"Mr. Parker has left for parts un
known. Please ask no questions"
That is the legend on piece of pape
pinned to the Office door, at 120 Nortl
Spring street, OF George H. Parker, resi-
dent agent of the National Capital, Saw
ings, Building and Loan society.
The HERALD, some weeks ago, ex
posed Mr.. Parker and his alleged com
pany, and related the fact of his having
swindled the people of Denver out o
thousands of dollars before he dame
here.
He has reaped a rich harvest from
the credulous people of this city. Yes
terday was the time set for number O.
Parkers clients to get their loans, but
all they could find of the slick operator
was the notice on his door.
The stairs leading to his Office were
crowded with excited people. One mar
from Boyle Heights, when he realized
that Parker had gone, tainted, and wher
he came to, went away with quiverine
lips. Parker had got all Of his ready
money, and he had induced many of his
friends to invest in the swindling con.
cern. All of the patrons seem to have
been people in moderate circumstances.
A number of women were among the
victims. One OF these was seen by q
"Was / swindled? OF course / was.
/ am Mrs. M. E. Langdon, of 1404 San
Fernando street. On March 31st went
to Parker and signed papers for loan
of $710. paid him $3.50 in cash ;
$3.50 OF this was for seven shares in the
company, and $40 was for dues for
April, May and June in advance. Pretty
soon he gave me my stock and papers
and said my property would have to be
appraised, and paid him $40 for ap-
praising it, 80 he got $27 so from me al
together. / was to get my loan today.
Just go for Parker strong, will you? He
is scoundrel and has swindled people
here right and left. Why, he got me to
recommend his company tony friends
and don't know how much he got out
of them. Yes, 1 read the exposure of
him in the HERALD, but had started
in the thing then, and thought per-
haps the story was got up'by real estate
men and brokers who wanted to hurt
his business. But you can't give it to
him too strong, tell you."
E. .Waybright, prominent lawyer
of Denver, wrote to the HERALD in an
swer to inquiries about Parker, and
among other things, he has the following
to say of Parker :
"Mr. Parker seems to have been in
the printing business here year or so
ago, and was looked upon as a fairly
honest man. AS soon as this came out
he promised to turn in and help the
Denver people get back their money.
For some unknown reason he changed
his mind, and disappeared from the pub
lie view, and your letter is the first in
formation l have had from him since
that time. The society seems to have
been in hot water in a great many
places, and it is as say only question
OF time until they shall be found out
wherever they attempt to do business.
Parker sold great many shares here in
Denver, and the members some time
ago Joined together and raised small
fund to prosecute their claims, but as
vet they have not realized anything, and
/ think it very unlikely if they will ever
be able to do so. Two clients of mine,
and who were personal friends Of Par
ker's, had stock in the concern, and he
made no more effort to straighten, out
their matters than he did for others.
If he is still acting as the agent OF the
society at your city he is doing so with
the full knowledge that it is fake, land
that it will never, and can never do
what they promise to do when they get
people to subscribe for stock.
''I was over in Chicago a few days ago,
and consulted with John b. Payne, who
was my correspondent at the time we
tried to collect the money from the So
ciety, and l may state that Mr.. Payne
fully agrees with my views herein ex-
pressed.
81 suppose from yourletter he is oper-
ating there in this same line of business.
If so, he is certainly doing very wrong,
for he knows as well as / do where the
fraud comes in, and that is in not making
the loans promised. He also was guilty
of fraud upon the members here in this,
that he did not tell them that when they
Joined the society that the big end of
the money paid in would not come back
to them, but he led them to believe that
at any time they wanted to stop paying
they could do so, and get back the money
with interest that they had already
paid.V
The extent OF Parker's pickings in Los
Angeles can as yet only be guessed at,
but from the number of clients who
called at his Office yesterday it is to be
judged that he has pocketed several
thousands of dollars.