The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-30
SOME STOLEN SUGAR.
1t Makes a Peck Of Trouble for
Downtown Houses.
E L. G. Steele & Co. Vietimized by Clever
Englishman-L Saroni Co. Make a
Bad Investment.


month in this city with considerable profit
to himself and an equivalent loss TO three,
if not more, prominent downtown houses.
Some four weeks ago ho In some way,
not as yet fully explained, scraped acquaint-
ance with one of the heaviest commission
firms in town, whose name is the closely
guarded secret Of the other victims pending
an arrangement looking to the determine
ton and adjustment of the liabilities of all
the parties concerned. This firm, which,
under the circumstances. must be designated
here as Doe d Co., placed u limited
amount OF trust in the stranger, who nego-
tiated some small sales for them during
their three. weeks acquaintance with him.
They could not be induced, however, to ex-
tend him any edit, and he had to pay spot
cash for all goods which he handled.
A HANDSOME BRITIsHER.
The stranger was young man, pro-
nouneed Britisher. OF pleasing address. a
polished conyersationaliSt and a good
dresser. AS soon as he had established a
measurable degree of confidence in him he
one day approached the head of the firm of
Doe & Co. and negotiated for the use of a
part of their store in which 20 pile away
some goods until an opportunity offered for
their disposal The privilege was accorded
TO him, ana, some days later, when several
large truckloads of sugar In bags drew up
in front of the house, the firm, suppoSing
that these were the goods referred to,
pointed out a place where they might be
stored.
This transaction occurred just week
ago. Coincident with il, smart, we'll
dressed Englishman called upon Louis
Saroni & Co., the wholesale candy manu-
facturers, and introduced himself as Mr..
Leighton, jObber in merchandise He
presented sample of sugar to the head of
the firm, stated that il was part of 800
sacks brought on the last China steamer by
an English tourist and was in his hands for
sale. Would Mr.. Saroni make bid on it?
Mr.. SarOni took the sample, examined il,
and made bid. which Leighton refused.
THE SPIDER AND THE FLY.
Three days later the same dapDer little
Britisher again presented himself before
Hr. Saroni aud told HIM that after all his
was as good price as he could get. There
upon bargain was concluded between the
two for large part of the consignment.
Next day, which was Saturday last, the
sugar was delivered at Saroni's factory,
Leighton received a check for his money,
gave receipt for the same. and went away
evidently well pleased with the transaction
As the price was shade under market
quotations Mr.. Saroni was equally as pleased
as Leighton, but on Monday, when h. l.. q.
Steele dropped around and questioned him
about his purchase he was not long in re-
GREETING his hasty bargain. In a very few
words Mr.. Steele informed him that he was
tracing UP 800 sacks of sugar. sent to
Doe d Co. for account of Leighton, and had
already discovered that the sugar had dis
appeared and Leighton was not 10 be found.
Saroni at once admitted his purchase and
produced his receipt. 1t was upon printed
billhead in the regular form. showing that
the transaction had been between l.. Saroni
d Co. and " Leighton " Co., Merchants
Exchange, San Francisco"
Subsequent investigation at the Mer-
chants Exchange revealed the fact that the
Britisher had no Office In the emporium, but,
for all that, he was recognized by the de-
scription furnished as having frPQuented
the building for week or two lately.
SPINNING HIS WEB.
About a fortnight ago the clerks in the
exchange noticed stranger in the reading
room and notified him that only members
were privileged to use il. Thereupon he
announced that he was a recent arrival
from Australia and wished merely 10 look
over the files of the Melbourne and Sydney
papers, and al the same time offered to pay
for the privilege. AS his appearance was
in his favor the clerk, in his discretion,
permitted him 10 peTuse the papers, and for
two or three DAYS thereafter he continued
TO avail himself of the permission. Suddenly
he developed great interest in the building,
spoke of taking Offices there and called for
the janitor to show him the vacant rooms.
With him he made tour of the building
and finally picked out room 63 as just the
one for his PURPOSE. he told the janitOr a
fairy tale OF his vast wealth, his rich
estates, his high-ton relatives and duly
cautioned him to be very careful of the mo-
Guette carpets and mahogany furniture with
which he was going TO fit up the Office. But
he never paid the customary visit
to the secretary's offi,e to conclude
the negotiation, and after few days more
In the readiDB-ro0m disappeared from view.
The police and private detective have bad
the matter in hand since noon on Monday
but so far have been unable TO throw any
light upon the whereabouts OF the mysterious
individual 1t Is mere than likely that this
is but one OF the many exploits Of a crooked
character OF which Leighton has been guilty
during his brief stay here, and that there
was more in his visits to the exchange than
mere desire OF tourist TO read colonial
news.
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WORSE.
A CALL reporter interviewed Mr.. Saroni
last evening and learned that he would not
be a large sufferer by the fraud, if it should
prove on a full investigation TO be one. SO
far as he aud Mr.. Steele were concerned, Q
said, they both owned up to a LIT lie careless -
ness in the matter-Steele in selling, and
Saroni in buying from stranger-but they
thought the most culpable party to the
transaction was Doe d CO.. who by giving
Leighton the use of their store made
1t possible Tor him to perpetrate his swindle
Mr.. Saroni likewise stated that of late a
great number of small shipments had come
here from China. ''The Englishmen over
there are well posted on our markets and
occasionally, when making q trip home via
San Francisco. they will bring along few
hundred sacks of sugar II the market Is in
their favor. For instance, sugar may only
be worth cents there, freight will be 30
cents, duty 80 cents making cents a
pound delivered here, where the market
price may be cents. There will be other
slight charges for brokerage, ETC.. and in
order to make quick sale tile specializing
tourist may conceds u of a cent on the
market price, so that, at these figures, he
realizes In the neighborh6od of 80 cents per
hundred pounds profit. 1t is not unusual
for me TO make just such purchases. and
within the past two or three weeks took a
lot from Williams, DimOnd & Co. at u cent
below market price, and another lot from
5 J.. Jones at an additional discount of 9
per cent. | have bought from strangers
before, but this is the first time 1t has in
volved me in any trouble | have learned
from the bank that my check has not yet
been present ted there. Payment, of course,
has been stopped and the other banks, as
well as the brokers. have been warned net
to negotiate IT,"