The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1895-06-11
DANGEROUS sKINDLE EXPOSED
This City Is Being Filled, Tt Is Said, with
Broken-dow and Sick Anima Is
Through Contact with Which the
Healthy Stock Becomes Infected.
Investigation of Several Cases.

profit, the plan adopted being to have the
animals doctored and rested for week or
two, and by processes known only to the
disreputable dealers, made TO assume the
proportions and appearance of well-bred
healthy animals, and that they are then
sold to unsuspecting purchasers under the
guise of honesty for prices that multiply
their value many times
This condition of affairs was reported to
The Times on Saturday, and. to ascertain
the actual facts, an investigation of the
matter was made yesterday, when the
original reports were more than verified.
1t was learned that not only lately, but for
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS justice ofthepeace
has at intervals been called upon as arbiter
between an innocent citizen and an I'M
scrupulous dealer.
CASES ARE NUMEROUS.
There have been hundreds of such cases,
many of them within my own knowledge"
said a well-known constable, where a
man has brought suit to compel the restitu-
ton OF money paid for badly diseased
animal tina twas palmed off upon him for a
sound and healthy horse"
The trickery does not stop at this, nor is
it confined TO the Caucasian race. Cases
have been known where an exchange of
!
stances that made il almost highway
robbery. Justice of the Peace O'Neal is
sued warrant on Saturday for colored
man named Wilson, who persuaded a
victim to try his horse with a view OF per-
fecting a trade. When the man was off
some distance astride of the negro's horse,
the colored dealer mounted the good ami
NAL and rode off The other was unable
10 pursue him, because the animal he had,
though presenting a fair appearance, was
unable to accomplish pace faster than q
walk
There are two cases in point where suits
have been successfully maintained against
Samuel Bensnger, of the horse bazaar, at
NO. $40 Louisiana avenue.
The circumstances in these cases as de-
veloped at the trials are pronounced by the
plaintiffs and others as those of a clear
attempt upon somebody's part to swindle
the victims.
The first. tried, it is understood, before
Justice L. C. Strider, is detailed as follows:
THE BLICK CASE.
A man named Blick, who is reputed to
have been unfortunate and part of the time
depending upon the charity of others for
means of subsistence, but who is honest and
industrious. A friend in Virginia loaned
him a span OF fine horses he procured a
wagon, and went TO work at hauling
horse. and having seen this team, pur-
chased one of them, paying, it is understood,
Sl1o. The sale was made with the own
1er's consent and he received the money
This left Blick with but one animal,
and il as good as the one sold. A friend
again interposed, and he was enabled to
buy horse. He went TO the bazaar and
purchased an animal warranted to be-
sound and healthy, paying the auction
price. A written guarantee that was
made TO expire the following day was
given Blick. The animal proved to be
diseased and worthless, and early on the
following morning it was taken back to
Bensinger.
"Oh, have nothing to do with it, Ben
singer is alleged TO have said. You must
20 to Mr.. Schlegle. The horse belonged
to him, and / sold it for him.
The Schlegle mentioned was said to be
Nicholas Schlegle.
Blick demurred, but finally went to
Schlegle, and was persuaded TO try another
horse, which was as bad or worse than
the other. When this one was returned
it is alleged that Schlegle claimed the
affair to be a trade" and refused to
refund the money. Bliek brought suit
before Magistrate Strider and obtained
a Judgment for the full amount against
one, or perhaps both, of the principals in
the sale.
DISEASE FROM CONTACT.
The valuable horse that was in the pos
session of Blick has had disease communi-
Gated to it from contact with the others,
it is said, and at last accounts was about
ready for transportation to Patsy Manns
establishment OF utilization.
An almost similar case was reported by
Mr.. John w. Whitmire, who resides in the
northeast, near the Columbia power-house
Mr. Whitmire is enlDloved with the pills
bury flour and feed firm, and has ben saving
his wa es, b Titles, for about two years for
the purpose of buying a horse. He visited
the bazaar, bid in a fine-lookinG animal for
ST., got his guarantee, and started home
with his purchase. 1t developed the evil
/ denceof disease onthe way, but Mr. Whitmre
persuaded himself it was nothing more
than cold, and, believing the representa-
tions made. he considered it bargain
In fact" he said yesterday, ''the horse
looked so well and the price was SO low
that more than half suspected that some
thing was wrong, but was not sure, so
took the horse home"
The animal proved to be so diseased the
next morning that a veterinary surgeon
was appealed to and, after a diagnosis,
the purchaser started 70 get his money
Mr.. Bensinger was notified by telephone,
but before Mr.. Whitmire could reach the
baZar the money was paid over to the
original owner-Mr. Schlegel. 1t was
afterwards discovered that Schlegel
brother had bid against Whitmire until the
price ran up to $40, and then the latter's
bid of ST. was accepted. Justice O'Neal
rendered Judgment in favor of Whitmire
against Bensinger.
Theseare saidto be Observation-Disclosures
Of cases that have transpired before the
justices of the peace in the past year.