The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-14
SAD RECORD OF EXT0RTION
Mrs. Ida Harrison's Experience at the
Hands of the Money Sharks.
Borrowed $40. Paid SIC on 1t in q Year. and
Is still Heavily IN Debt-Secretive
About Their Business.


but a casual examination of the enattel
mortgage record in this county to dispei
all doubts on the subject. In the record
ers office fifteen large record books are
used each year to contain the records OF
the chattel mortgages filed: these are In the
main MORTGAGES upon household goods. and
in q vast majority of instances are upon
the property of that class of persona which
= money shark has termed helpless and
the appellation is truly a lifting one.
To one who has occasion TO examine these
records at all frequently. the names of
George w. Poe. w. T.. Stats. Sanford Z.
Hamilton. Harry Baum. /. Msckey. William
H.. Hammons. C.. Ludwig aud j. Baum are
very familiar ones, some of them appearing
on fully one-half the pages of the chattel
mortgage records during the past two or
three years. To one acquainted with the
Significance of this fact these pages seem
90 DO written IN the tears of helpless vic
TINS. Desttution and starvation or worse
are the legitimate offspring of the instru-
ments here recorded.
MIS-. HARRIsoS's EXPERIENCE.
Mrs. Ida M. Harrison. residing at No. Is
Blackford street. has had some never-to-be-
forgotten experiences with the money
sharks which came out In al investigation
before United States Commissioners Van
Biren on the afternoon of Thursday. May
4. wherein C.. Lud wig. q money lender at
No.. Is Virginia avenue. was held to answer
10 the federal grand jury for a violation of
the postal laws. The story of the ourra-
geous extortion prnctIced upon Mrs. Har-
rison was only partially reyealed by her
evidence In that Case. but she afterwards
told IL IN full To q Journal reporter. She Is
q middle aged woman. and one who has
been accustomed 10 paying more attention
10 the duties of the household than TO &C.
curing On education In the affairs OF ordi-
nary business. and. consequently, was not
prepared TO cope with the shrowdness and
ragacity of the money sharks" into
whose tolls she fell. In her case It was
sickness that drove her TO the first transac-
zion. now about eighteen months ago.
FROM which she has never succeeded IN get
ting free. On the contrary. she bias only
become deeper involved IN debt. There is
nothing unusual IN this phase OF her case,
however. for that 10 the ordinary result.
George A. Harrison. her husband. Is an
iron nolder elnpioye ed at the Eagle ma
about six years and 10 known as an INDUS
trious. hard working mechanic. During
the latter part OF the year 1881 he became
Ill and was confined To his bed for six
H1oho ~ - - " " - .
OF about seven weeks. During all this
time Mrs. Harrison endeavored. by the
ftrlctvst economy and what small means
she could earn. TO support the family. con-
sIsting of herself. husband and Two chill
dren, the oldest of which Is now ten years
of age. There was. however. rent and
doctor bills 10 pay. and the expcnees soon
Fan up TO u point where IL was IMPOSSIBLE
10 meet them. At tins time Mrs. Harrison
sought temporary assistance by applying
10 u money shark" tor q loan OF money on
chattel security, the only kind she was
s'i- To give. She applied TO the
lndisnap polls Mortgage Lean Company.
watch has an ofice IN the Thorpe Block.
and of which Frank Z. Archer Is the prin-
sipal stakeholder aud manager. She Be-
cnred from them "a loan OF $40. and gave
her note. payable in thirty days, Tor Sl4.50.
The note was secured by mortgage upon
Twenty-Five yards of ingram carpet. one
marble-top walnut bedroom ret OF three
pieces. one walnut wool plush bed lounge.
one oak center table, one decorated stand
lamp. five ain cane-seat chairs. two
walnut cane scat rockers, one walnut clock,
one set OF woven wire springs. one cotton
top mattress. two feather pillows and one
white wHshbowl and pitcher, which list of
articles included about everything she
possessed. Al the expiration of the thirty
days she was unable TO pas the note, ana se-
cured an extension of thirty days by the pay
msnt of y. and regularly, every succeedln g
month. until Janu0ry OF this year. she paid
C. lOE ~ 0AtGDclOn Va lhO uutll Az
had paid the indianapolis Mortgage Loan
Company the sum of SO. and still owed
them the original amount of the note aud
mortgage.
LUDwIG's THREATENING POSTAL.
In January of this year she went Co Lud-
Wig and had him take up the note and Sc
cure q release of the mortgage to the Indi-
annapolis Mortgage Loen Company. Lud-
WIZ and one HaninOns are. or were at that
time. partner IN business. and Mrs. Harri-
sons transactions were with Hammons,
who prepared "A note for SO. secured by
m~ortgage upon the same property, which
she signed. Hammons then paid Oft the
other claim. aud the chatiel mortgage rec
ords show that this mortgage was released
Jan. u. 1898. Tue effect OF this transaction
WAS simply TO increase her Indebtedness.
and she pa.d linminons 90 per month for
continuing the Uan until she he'd paid him
81 in interest and S. upon the principal of
tho loan. leaving Der Indebted TO him
In the SUM OF SlI. and 10 was o
Gun for this amount written upon
o postal csrsi that got LuG wig into trOu biz.
The card contained some very pointed
ststelnents and ended by saying that If
Mrs. Harrison did not call Immediately he
Ludwig would come and see her and the
Trip would be no pleasure trip" ana en-
joined her tn heed this last warning the
word warning being written large and
UNDERSIGNED. When the card was delIv-
cred Go slrs. Harrison she asked the mail
carrier TO read it for her and when he
learned its contents be asked TO take it
back 10 the Office for the purpose OF turn
1ng it over TO the postofhce Inspector.
which be aid and Ludwi9s arrest followed.
Mrs. Harrison became frightened ct
tie tone of the card and think
ing hat If she did not ct
once pay the amount her entire house-
hold furniture would be taken from her,
she again sought relief from u money
shark" This time sue went To j. Baum.
who has an Off CO IN room No. o. at No. lzf9
North delaware street. and gave her note
occurred by mortgage upon the same prop
erty TO Baum TO secure tho release OF the
Ludwig mortgage. When asked the amount
Tor which this last mortgage was given
Mrs. Harrison said abe dId not know; she
was so frightened and excited at the time
tor fear that Ludwig would take possess
sion OF the goods. which were all she
possessed. that she thought only OF getting
out OF his grasp aud did not know for what
amount she had given her note TO the other
money shark" she did not even know his
name. The Journal reporter who SAW Mrs.
Harrison called at Baum's room and, max
ing bIs identity known, asked Baum IL he
had made a loan to Mrs Harrison.
BAUM MAS sEcRETIvE.
who told You / hsdf' he asked without
deigning to answer the question pro-
pounded by the reporter.
Mrs. Harrison" the reporter answered.
"Wnere did you see herr asked Baum.
and be began TO display a great Deal of IN
terest and his sharp eyes glistened AS he
looked steadily at the reporter.
ii saw her ut her residence on Blackford
- -aI he old - - -