Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-24
CHEAP TIMBER LAND.
Three Men Arrested fol Attempting
to Work a Neat Frs nd.
VICTIMS PUT vFF MANY TIMES
with Promises That Transportation Would
Be Furnished Soon.
SUICIDE 0FAMAN WHO FEARED ARREST

j. II. Hanson, H. Clark and G. NJ. Watt, of
| the firm of j. H. Hanson & Co.. of No. 96
| Fourth avenue, were arrested yesterday on
| the charge of operating a bogus land agency.
During the past few days Assistant Superin-
| tendent O'Mara and Detective Shore have
received numerous letters from parties COM
| planning about the operations of this firm
These led to an investigation which
| convinced the police that the
men in question were working a
| crooked scheme. As result Assistant
| Superintendent O'Mara and Detectives Shore
and Demmel went down to the office yester-
day afternoon and arrested the men. They
have only been in the city short time and
had scarcely got their office furnished when
the police put stop to their operations.
The plan is one of the neatest ones tried in
Pittsburg for some time. The plan was to
offer tracts of timber land in the State of
Washington. The applicant paid a small
sum of money. Title was promised the ap-
plicant within 60 days after the agreement
was made.
Plenty of Brilliant Promises.
The company promised transportation
free to the property, and at the end of go
days guaranteed a purchaser for the timber
on the land at price of not less than $s per
acre. Twenty-nine dollars purchased 16O
in proportion.
Since the firm located in Pittsburg l3 per-
sons are known to have been induced to
enter the scheme with their money,
and many others have been caught
whose names are not known. After
having turned over their money they were
promised their transportation and papers in
two or three days. On applying then they
were again put off with some trivial excuse.
This was repeated time after time, and
finally several of the parties became sus-
picious and appealed to the police. Those
who were caught by the brilliant promises
of the firm, with the amounts put into the
scheme as far as known are as follows:
theny, Thirty first street. Southside, SIS; Ed
ward Martin, Fifth avenue, $26; Michael
Nolan, 81 First avenue, $29 so; William Ryan,
55 Webster avenue, $29 80. Norton c. Dibble
II Isabella street. Allegheny, $10 Sturgeon
Z. Mcdonald, Stanton avenue, $40; John c.
Mahoney, 1920 Harcums alley, S.; Thomas
we, welsh ~. 2s2S naTcums alley $as 90 s. Ems
Hurley, 2s03 Harcums alley,'-;R. s. Nelson,
lis South Canal street, Allegheny, So
Prospectus of the PIotters.
The concern was known as the "Washing-
ton Colonization and Investment Company,
incorporated at Seattle, Wash, April, q,
1891" The following is copy of one of the
peculiar contracts made with number of
persons in this vicinity by these people,
which will explain partially the nature of
their business. The contract was printed
in green and gold letters above big official
looking gold seal in one corner. The docu-
ment was worded thus:
Received of Thomas Welsh, SO So for which we
are TO locate him upon 160 acres of timber land
within GO days from date, on the following condi-
tions:
We are to pay all expenses. and as soon as Mr.
Welsh gets his title to the said land, we will pro-
cure for him a purchaser who will pay IS per acre
for the timber on the said land. All settlements to
be made within 80 days from date to wit: -.
1S9 Should we fail to fill any part of this agree
ment we will return the amount paid by Mr.. Welsh
to him. And Mr.. Welsh agrees that upon the pay
ment to him of $3.50 over and above all expenses ne
will transfer the timber said land to the parties
designated, and that he will not under any consid
Grafton, make known the conditions of this agree
ment to any person without the consent of the COM
pany, and that If he does he will forfeit all right to
the money advanced to him. Signed by
THOMAS WELSH.
G. W. BENNETT, President.
j. II. HANSON & Co., Agents.
From the evidence shown by the books 1t
appears that the agents have been willing