The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-22
A "SURE-THING" CONCERN.


There are always many people on the
lookout for a ''sure-thing' Investment,
speculation or gambling scheme, but even
those with the greatest expectations do not
look for a "sure thing that will return
s1,264 for an investment of 800 one year.
Yet that is what one man in this city is
offering to do. In the circular advertising
this wonderful chance to make fortune in
a short time is this expression, used as a
question that might be asked by an intend
ing investor" Suppose you should lose
instead of gain?" The answer is Our
answer to this is that we never take
chances with capital"
The scheme is to invest money on the
New York Stock Exchange by what is
termed ''fuctuation system" The local
representative is Thomas s. S. Kerr. of No.
771z East Market street. Kerr has two
rooms plainly furnished, and there he sits
awaiting the coming of men who have a
little money which they would like to see
grow with the rapidity of a mushroom.
Mr.. Kerr is thin-visaged man with a pro-
fusion Of red whiskers, and is very ready
to answer questions, but always wants TO
know the full name and address of the man
with whom he is talking, and is particular
to ask from whom the patron received the
information that led him to call at the
office.
According to a small circular handed out
by agents of the concern there is no pos
sibility of losing money If placed with the
agent. There is a wonderful man in New
York who has closely studied the stock
markets for twenty years. and in that time
has become so familiar with the slumps
and rises in stocks that he can predict
just when the market is going up or down.
He says he it, not magician, but that his
knowledge comes from careful study of
the conditions In the past that have caused
changes and he can therefore predict
changes now by watching these same con-
ditions. He was formerly physician, but
twenty years ago he began studying the
markets For twelve years he continued
this study and then began investing his
own small savings. For. six years he con-
tinued in this way, and then he became
so philanthropic that he wanted TO see
some Of the other people share his good
luck and began to receive money from
others to be invested with his own and
through the same absolutely safe system .
When asked why he did not put all of his
time to the investment of his own money,
Mr.. Kerr said that this wonderful New
York man did not have as much money of
his own as he could direct and thought he
might as we'll make 20 per cent. on the
profits that he could make for others at
the same time that he invested his own
money, and he had therefore formed a syn
dictate into which all the money received
was placed and invested in a perfectly
safe manner.
The circular which is being distributed in
this city and other parts of the state Tor
the purpose of attracting possible patrons,
and used as per the w. T.. Forest fuctua>
ton system of trading will, at per cent.
a week, amount to sl.264 in one year. Now,
at the end of the first year suppose you
withdraw 1894, leaving $1,000 as your capital
for the second year. This would earn for
you, at the above rate. 500 week cash or,
IL you let the earnings remain and com
pound each week in place OF drawing out
the weekly dividends, you would have at
the end of the second year $l2,642, without Il
dollar of your capital invested.
To emphasize the fact that per cent. a
week is not considered unusual or Is not a
usurious interest the circular says: IF
you are not satisfied with an average of 5
per cent. a week profit on your capital We
prefer to have you take ii elsewhere. Five
per cent. a week with safety beats 100 per
cent with final loss" In this sentence the
word safety Is made emphatic by being
in large heavy-face letters.
In another place the circular says: Our
syndicate trading is not designed for reg
ular spectators, gamblers or plungers
but for investors. Our syndicate is a rival
for savings banks, real estate mortgages
and various investment building and loan
and insurance institutions. We do not try
or pretend to compete with gamblers or
'plungerS. "
Throughout the printed matter sent out
by the concern there is everything to in
dicate on the face of matters, that there
Is no such thing as a loss. In fact, loss
under the system is looked upon as a
thing not even among the possibilities.
The system is claimed to be such that the
man who directs the investments knows
almost to q certainty just when certain
stocks are going up or down. and he of
course places his money accordingly.
Postmaster Sahm has received several in
uuiries about the operations of the con-
Germ, and yesterday he went to the office
of Mr. Kerr TO make some inquiries Mr.
Kerr gave him copies of all the printed
matter used and treated him very cordial
ly. seeming TO court an investigation if the
postmaster thought one necessary Mr..
Sahm has not had time to study the ques-
ton thoroughly and does not know wheth-
er the business is of a nature TO exclude
the correspondence from the mails. In
spector Fletcher has also been looking into