Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-09-26
FELL WITH A THUD
Willard &. Winner Heavy
Speculator is a Swindler
HANDLED MILLIONS OF MONEY
AS Manager of an Immense Investment
Company, But Never Delivered
Any Dividends.

KANSAS CRY. Sept. 25.-Another SEN
sation has been added TO the long
string OF happenings IN local financial
circles by the announcement OF the IN
dlctment at the January quarterly ses-
sions of Philadelphia of Willard L.
Winner, formerly OF this city, now OF
~. Louis, on charge OF obtaining
money under false pretenses. Winner
WAS for long time president and gen
eral manager of the Winner Invest
ment company of this city which con-
trolled many enterprises here aggrega-
ting several millions of dollars. The
concern started the splendid $1,000, 900
bridge, the elght-story Winner build
ing, the Chicago, Kansas City and Tex
as railroad, and many other schemes.
several of which were matured. Ex-
tradition papers have been served on
Governor Francis for the delivery of
Willard r. Winner TO the Pennsylva-
ma authorities, and the governor has
the matter under advisement. Win
ner is indicted IN the Philadelphia
courts OF the testimony of James B.
McCamant, millionaire of
PottstOwn Pa, who says that Winners
representations to him were false, and
tnat he invested many thousands OF
dollars N his schemes without getting
so much As dividend.
Passed n Dividend.
The investments were made three
years ago when the Winner company
oil a a
after McCamant went IN was passed,
and az q result the elderly man natur-
ally became suspicious. He finally
came here and found that ne had put
his money III lmmature schemes. The
Chicago, Kansas City * Texas railroad
company, in which he put So 900, was
only twenty-five miles long, beginning
ut Smithville, III Clay county, and end
ing IN Clsy county across the river from
here without bridge connections. The
bridge by which II was proposed to
bring the road III aud make il q trunk
system was the Winner bridge, the piers
OF which were put IN at great cost. but
tor which there Is not yet sign OF the
iron work. McCamant grew angry and
called Winner TO account. He offered
excuses and "A few months later the en-
Nlfc w III
January, 1892, McCamant had Winner
indicted.
Wrote n Pleasant Letter.
In April, when papers were served
Winner wrote to Governor Francis
such plausible letter, promising to be
Ill Philadelphia at the next term of
the general sessions, in last August,
that the matter was laid ovor by his ex-
cellency. In August, however, Winner
did not appear, and proceedings were
therefore at once revived. The gov
ernor now has the matter under advise
ment again. Winner is a remarkable
character. Ten years ago he was a
clerk IN the postoffice here, and later
he had q place at the silk counter in q
leading dry goods store. When the
boom came he invested and came out
ahead. Soon he organized the Winner
investment company, and under n
management that was really wonderful
he built up great institution and
controlled millions in money. His op-
eratlons were greater than one man
could control, however, capital con-
sldered, and he was forced to the wall
IN the period of depression prevailing
here two years ago. He owned a mag
niticent home on Tracey avenue. Re-
Gently he promoted a railroad scheme
successfully in South Missouri, and
now he Is IN business in st. Louis in the
same line.