The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-04-09
A BOLD SWINDLER .
A Chicago Man Fleeces q Canton Citi-
zen Out of S2l2.
A Number Of Other Citizens Said to Have
Lost by One Of the Neatest Schemes
Ever Worked in This City.

A bold swindling scheme has been op.
Grated successfully in this city during the
past few weeks and many prominent citi-
zeus have been swinded out of large
amounts. The story OF the bold scheme
is told by Mr.. II. Mira, of No. % Centre
street. who was one OF the victims. Mr..
Mirra's story as told to a reporter, is as
follows: "The first of the year man
named Thomas Cordery, living on Union
street, came to me and represented him
self as agent for the Chicago Loan Associ-
alton, claiming that he was doing business
for the Philadelphia branch of the firm.
He stated to me that the company loaned
money on houses and real estate at lower
figure than the usual rate charged by
other companies. The amount of money
loaned, of course, depended on the value
OF the property. The plan proposed by
him was to loan money on real estate,
The interest was to be paid every
month together with a certain portion Of
the principal so that at the end of few
yesrs the whole debt was paid off and the
payments had been easily met. The plan
loob ed favorable to me and engaged for a
loan of 5000, it being my purpose to erect
number of houses this spring. Cordery
stated that the property must first be APP
praised, and gave him S12 for having this
done. The same day he wanted his COM
mission and the first months interest and
Ile ieSlRnaIeu aUlbuut OF tne DrlnClDal
paid in advance. This, he stated, he would
send to the company and would then re-
ceive the $4,000 for which | had bargained.
/ agreed to this and gave him 800, which
with the Sl2 had already paid, made 1912.
Time passed and heard nothing more
from the money. l then became suspic-
ious and called on Cordery. He stated
that he had sent the money to the firm. 1
wrote TO the firm and they said they had
not received 1t. Cordery's brother-in-law,
Schmidt, who lives in East Tuscarawas
street, said that be had seen Cordery put
some money in an envelope addressed to
the firm, but didn't know how much.n
Cordery will be arrested the first of next
week on charge of obtaining money un-
der false pretenses. 1t is stated that
thirty.hve citizens in the city, among
them Bast Bros, have been swindled in
the same manner.
Thomas Cordery was seen this morning
by NEws-DEMoCRAT reporter regarding
the charges made against him by H.
Mira. Mr.. Cordery states that he was in
no way to blame for the Canton people
losing their money, as he simply acted as
agent for the National Capital Savings
Building and Loan Society of North
Mr.. Cordery says ths money collected
from Mr.. Mira, was paid over to him by
Mr.. L. III. Reed, a sub-agent, with the ex-
ception of his lReed's) commission. Ar.
Cordery says he mailed S127 TO the COM
pany. The letter was not registered but
he thinks it was received, as he has sent
money in the same manner many times
before. The othor losers have received
their certificates, but the only one who
| ever received the loan was Davis &
Schroyer who got $500. Postmaster
Braden is now having the matter investi-
| gated and in case it is found the company
| didn't receive the money, Mr.. Cordery
| says he will make Mr.. Mirra's loss good.
Mr.. Cordery says the company, without
doubt is fraud and does not think he
| should be blamed, as he acted in good
faith.
The following persons have lost the
| amount after their names by investing
in the enterDrise.