The morning call., 1893-12-08
BADLY TAKEN IN.
knights of Pythias in
Mourning.
A. PROMINENT ELK BITTEN.
Alta Balloon Tower Company
Goes Up.
: DOOMED BY ii. II. HOSFORD.
-:
:: Flight of the Protector and Collapse
+. of Monumental Midwinter Fair
=. Advertising Scheme.
DOOMED BY II. II. HOsFoRD.

knights of Pytnias. q worker in the An
Client Order of United Druids and mem
Der of the Patriotic Order of Sons OF
America. is no longer to be found at the
offices OF the Balloon Company, Stockton
street. The sign above the door has been
removed, and the repeated knocks of
friends and visitors alike 1emain upan-
swered. The cozy flat at 5 Haight street,
which until Monday last was his home.
Is deserted save by his wife, penniless and
destitute, who confidingly had placed her
all IN the keeping of her husband. Where
; he is or what has become of him she is as
= much at a loss TO know as those who under
the bond of fraternal friend hip advanced
10 MIN sums ranging in amount from SIS to
= 500. until the total amount for which his
name stood good figures UP considerably
in excess OF $1,000
SO lar as the notes Of his creditors have
been compared, with one exception, his
operations have been confined 70 members
: OF the order of the Knights of Pythias.
:. Ihe exception is that of Colonel C. A.
Barnard. proprietor of the Cosmopolitan
loIspens8ry and exalted ruler of the order
of Elks. Hosford's derarture is lamented
by Colonel Barnard to the extent of be-
tween $500 and 500. The meeting be-
game about in peculiar way.
- In Septemb ber last the colonel and his
wife were returning from a visit to the
WORLDS Fair by way of Portland, where
they took the noat. On the same vessel
MI and Mrs. Hosford were passengers.
They had been on the water only few
:; hours when they became acquainted. That
right before they retired TO their berths
s: tfosford had explained to the colonel that
: he was going TO San Francisco to engage
:. LII the advertising business. He said il
" was his purpose to form stock company
Sc with sufficient ca pita to insure the snccess
:. Of the enterprise. He explained that he
had secured the right on the Pacific Coast
40 Ecpntrol Brand'S balloon advertising
TO u&er.
=; There is millions in it," cried Mr.. Hos
ford, unconsciouSly quoting the famous
*remark of Uncle Josh. land all want is
: 20 interest some man with capital" Dur
li:g the voyage much figuring was done by
:*Hostord, showing that by an investment
OF not more than $500 it stood good to
clear over SS0,000 The colonel was struck
with the prospects. and gave his new ac-
nuaintance his address, inviting him to
call at his Office lJ-she city when he had
bec0me settled
II. 1t was just two weeks later that Hosford
> pfesent6d himself at the dispensary He
4 was shown into the private Office. and Oh
.[eaylng 1t had completed arrangements
, with Mr.. Barnard tn Incorporate COM
. pany with a capital stock Of. SIS. 900 with
..@Mfs. barnard. Mrs. HOsford and Mr.. Eick-
). :hsf, Of the law firm of Lindley & Eickhoff,
+:as parties to the corporation. The follow
:: ing day he~yeturned to the dspensary and
stated that fs(s vile was 10 receive $500
::.ff0m Milwaukee,. but that it would no. be
here until November 10. and on account OF
its delay it would be necessary for him to
=: narrow $500 from Mr. Barnard to tide him
over until its arrival.
- thought he was a Sunday-schoo boy"
Is the way the med lcine man explains II,
"and with out any hesitation gave him
=. check for the amount. Soon II was used
up and | gave him some more. On No
yember we Incorporated, and | made
another advance 10 commence business
with until his money should arrive. Hos
ford explained TO me- how at the Worlds
Fair the advertising tower had been oper-
=. a.ted ana paid big dividends. His money
did not come Oh November Is. and he be-
gan to make excuses. | became suspicious
and wrote TO the Chicago Herald about the
Chicago tower. L received a reply that no
SUCH tower was IN operation.
II then confronted Hosford with the
proofs In the presence of his wife, and told
: BIN that. unless he made good my money
would cause his arrest. He broke down
then and confessed TO me that ne had no
money ard could not get any. He claimed
not to have any of the money which l had
xgiven him, saving he had spent IL. His
the matter go until Monday morning last,
:: when he promised TO fix it up satisfactorily,
:; but before the time arrived he had skipped
out and l am loser TO the extent of almost
/ 500"
! .The operations of the sbrewd financier
7 on: the outside were conducted mostly
,ameng those with whom he became ac-
Quanted in tie Knights of Pythias lodge
room.
Soon after the advertising company was
ga I'd
: Knight named DR.. Hayes on Market street.
e: Il ne doctor informed him that he was iE-
. teFested in MaIket-street dispensary and
would be pleased to have him come up at
::any lime. Hosford called In a few days
and before leaving had negotiated loan
of $50. In the course OF the next few
=. days he called again several times, each
:: call being productive of more or less gold
coin until the amount reached almost $780,
The last amount that DIR. Hayes gave up
; to bis stranded brother W. at O'Clock on
Sunday night last, when HOsford called
=. until Tue sday. when lie would have some
:: money and return the whole amount
. Tuesday has passed and gone and DR..
Hayes has made an entry to the debit OF
profit and loss.
=: Another victim to the wiIes Of the adver-
): ti5fne man is c. c. FIX. Mr.. Fox arrived
in. the city few weeks ago with few
hundred dollars TO invest in some good
: business. Els eye chanced to catch sign
: I'll brokers' window OF good business
90 be sold cheap. Fox bought Il. and be-
s. 1"Te he was proprietor week found out
me Had been duped. and sfld his place Tor
song. He still had 500 left when chance
thre~ bin into the way of Hosford. he
wore Knights Of Pythiss pin. and soon
the men were friends. Hardly had they
become acquainted when The advertising
scheme, corporation with calital OF
$Zo.OOO was lad before him by HosfOrd.
he iistened 10 the tales of fortune and saw
a. chance to retrieve what he had lost in
mis- previous venture. The company's
prosperous conditions was set forth, and
Hosf0rd exclaimed that as Fox was
brother Knight he would do what
was right by him. He explained that the
shares were worth So each. but that he
wanted % some ready money and would iuro
over $50 shares Of his stock IN considera-
ton of $75 The proposition seemed
good one, and early on Monday morning
lne oeai was consummated, Fox taking a
the SO.
Il would never have done H." said Mr.
a ho 8