Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-05-28
THE SUGAR ROGUES SALTED
ALL THREE OF THEM NOW BEHINr
THE BARS.

Captured and Have a Hearing.
The latter part of last week Sheriff
Dyer and Deputy Jim McGonigal
after hot.chase brought in Tire three
men charged with swindling a num-
Der of Patch Grove people by selling
them salt for sugar. R. P. Nelson
and Barney Daugherty were captured
Friday at Galesville, Wis, and Geo.
Botsford was brought Sunday from
New Albion, Iowa.
These men went into Patch Grove
and took orders for groceries. They
sold all kinds of groceries to all kinds
of people and as one illustration will
serve for all we will confine our re-
remarks as far as possible to G. +.
Dickinson, who is the complaining
witness. Botsford went to him and
sold him bill of goods. He itemized
the bill of goods on statement bill
with printed heading. When Mr..
Dickinson took the goods from Kolb's
store K. P. Nelson, .'the boss" took
the money and receipted the statement
bill as follows: paid in full. Muller"
The printed and written heading on
the statement read as follows:
Thought Of China d Japan Imp. Co.
TGoods below to be delivered at depot
subject to inspection on day of deliv-
cry, of which notice will be given in
the postoffice; which | agree to take
and pay for on day of delivery. Also
agree not to countermand or change
this order. Mr.. G. F. Dickinson.
P. o. Patch GroUe, County
State WIS" Then follows an itemiz-
ed account for tea, raisins, plums,
pepper, nutmegs, extracts, soap. blu
ing, bushel basket, coffee, and $50
pounds sugar. The total bill foots
up $20.3S The sugar item is $3.50.
The complaining witness stated to us
that he got all the things on the bill
excepting the basket and Nelson threw
off 80 cents because that was missing;
that all of the things excepting the
sugar, while not as good as expected.
were fairly good and could not be
reasonably quarreled with. The sug-
ar was mostly salt as was the sugar
purchased by all of the buyers except
ing one man. This was John Davis,
who happened to be at Bridgeport the
day the swindlers took their goods
from the depot to carry them to Patch
Grove. Mr.. Davis had given them an
order and he went to the car and told
them that as he was there with a
wagon he might as well take the goods
right along with him. They gave
him his goods and the sugar was all
straight. VIM. Moore was the largest
buyer of sugar He bought 1856
pounds, intending to speculate on it
by selling it again to his married
children-so his neighbors inform us.
THE CROOKS INTERVIEWED.
On Monday the HERALD reporter
was admitted to the cells of the three
men. They talked freely, joked good
naturally at what they pleased to call
their customers righteousness, said
if found guilty would take their pun
ishment philosophically, and seemed
pleased that they had committed no
worse crime.
r. P. Nelson, the ''boss,n said: 81
am "a years old, not married, and
make my home with VIM. Huord who
is president of the village board at
Lynxville. Have been in the grocery
selling business for 5 years. II VIC
had only known that officers were
after US we could have got away easy
enough. 1 gave s65 10 Liveryman
John Davidson of Lynxville TO pay
the people of Patch Grove for the
sugar that was not all right | don't
know whether he paid them or not.
We took about $3.50 out of Patch Grove
Yes we have got money to fight this
thing with. and If we haven't we
know where-te getit."
Barney Daugherty said: when at
homes which is not often, live with
my mother at New Albin, Iowa, which
is about6 miles north of Lansing. Iowa.
/ am p years old and unmarried.
worked for Mr.. Nelson. took orders on
commission. did not deliver any goods;
have only worked for him since Feb
ruary."
Geo. Botsford, the man last captur-
ured, was confined in cell upstairs