The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-03-17
THAT LOTTERY SCHEME.
Simon Wells Turns Out to BE Banker Thomas
- Formerly OF Guthrie.
Simon Wells has been discovered.

Simon Wells has been discovered.
Simon is not the ideal character OF a
novel by any means; he is plain western
business man who halls from Oklahoms
| where he graduated in the banking BUSH
| ness after studying little in Kansas.
Everybody thought that when Simon
| was discovered he would loom up as a
second Martin Chuzzlewit, but he does
! not. He knows how to turn penny in the
direction of his own pocket TO be sure,
but while that is true he is not a
miser by any means. In fact he is said to
be a hail fellow well met. To be brief Mr..
Wells is none other than Mr. Thomas,
ate of Guthrie, where he was cashier of
the defunct Capital City bank, an institu
ton that turned its toes to the daisies in
1890. It was understood at the time that
the bank would pay in full, but soon after
wards the announcement was made that
1t WAS expected that il would pay cents
on the dollar, and further concerning the
bank the deponent saith not. Before 60
ing to Guthrie Mr.. Thomas lived at
Kingsley, Edwards county, where he was
also engaged in the banking business.
Ofthe Louisiana Guarantee and Loan
company, Mr.. Thomas is prime minister,
chancellor of the exchecquer. prlyy coun-
cellor. keeper of the great seal, secretary
for foreign affairs and in fact the whole
firm of Simon Wells & Co. He is COM
mander-in-chief of an army of clerks copy
lists and typewriters, consisting OF some
seven or eight girls to whom, be it said,
to his credit, he pays good wages. He is
assisted In his enterprise by two men
named Mcclure, one of whom is shipping
clerk and lieutenant manager and the
other probably a mascot for the institu-
ton as the informant of the EAGLE has
of has obi 70 inn hap
ton.
The company opened up in the Stem
block and during the first week the women
who inhabit that building could
not, for their lives. tell anything
about them. Woman's CURIOSITY, how
ever, was too strong. and one day they
put their heads together TO investigate
Accordingly peeping committee was ap-
pointed aud black haired girl who after
wards attempted to run away with the
Fannie Hill show, applied a twinkling
black eye TO the key hole and saw every
body busy. They were putting up pc
culiar little packages. The girl shivered
and ran back and told the other
women, who were breathlessly awaiting
the result of her reconnolter, that it
was a dynamite factory. Not woman in
that building closed an eye for three
nights, expecting every moment TO hear
an explosion that would send the Stem
block to the other side of the moon. I1
was this report that led to an official inves-
tigation by police officer who could find
nothing wrong with the place, or the busi-
Dess contrary to the peace and dignity of
the State. In due time the company eased
the feelings of their female neighbors by
moving to the Howard block where they
are now doing business.
Yesterday reporter for the EAGLE met
probably the only person in the city who
is familiar with the business of the COM
pauy He said: 81 know the nature of
the institution and it is as legitimate as
any other lottery. A man has just as good
q show for drawing a capital prize out of
It as he would have by patroniziug the
Louisiana State lottery, the Mexican
lottery or any other lottery for that matter.
They pay prizes every day through tue
express companies and on some days they
pay two or three prizes. OF course they
are making pile of money out of it, but
they might as well be making it here in
Wichita as anywhere else. They pay out
about $500 month to their help and they
are III no respect violating the laws of
Kansas"
"Why ?"
Because they do no business in the state
and Jheri drawings do not even take place
here Their business is done nearly alto
gether in the eastern states and it is
surprising to learn how much
money is drawn to the west through
that source. They have agents in
Vermont and New Hampshire, and, in
fact their biggest business comes from the
New England and coast states"
Investigation at the proper place re-
vealed the fact that the statement that
they are doing no business in Kansas, is
true