The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-02-17
BUNCOEO IN CHARLESTON.
An Oraneeburg Man swindled With an
Old Trick.

An orangeburs Man swindled With an
Old Trick.
There was a genuine sensation in
Orangeburg las! Monday, caused by
the report that one of our well.knoWn
citizens had been buncoed out of three
thousand dollars in hard cash by two
confidence men in Charleston with the
old, old gold" brick swindle, that
has been worked so long that we are
surprised that any one should be
caught at this late day oy it. Who
the well-known citizen is we do not
know, but here is the whole tale as
told by the News and Courier Of last
Monday:
"a well known citizen OF Orange
burg came to Char eston last Thurs.
day and before he could get home he
had been done out of $4,000. The
story of how all this came about is
long one, but it is sinteresting and shows
how some people can be fooled into
the idea of getting rich at very little
cost. The parties who succeeded in
getting the So 600 went under the
names of Il. A. Cook and Dan Webb.
Cook claimed that he was from Phila-
delphia, while Webb registered at the
hotel from Atlanta. From these two
gentlemen the Orangeburg innocent
purchased what he thought was gold
brick, Of a great deal more value than
what he paid for it, though when he
went to make an Investigation OF his
bargain he found that it was brass.
The affair has been kept on the
dead quiet, and it was not until yes.
terday that the first intimation of il
leaked out. It appears that Webb
went to Orangeburg several days ago
and in some way became acquainted
with the hero of this story. He told
remarkable story to the effect that his
friend Mr.. Cook, who was supposed
to be an assayer in the employ of the
United States Government, had mau-
aged to get ahead Of the game to the
extent of one big, fat gold brics. Ac-
cording to Webb the Government had
lost entire track of this brick and Cook
was anxious to sell it at very low
price. Webb painted a beautiful pic
ture OF the things that could be
bought with this brick, and he evil
dently talked in such an easy, straight
forward manner that.his new acquaint-
ance decided to buy it, as he would be
benefited great deal by the transac.
ton. The plans for the transfer of
the property were made, but it was to
be kept absolutely secret because the
Government would jerk Cook up as
soon as they discovered that he had
the brick. But they were not to know
| this at all.
webb left Orangeburg, presums-
bly, for Charleston. Ga Thursday af-
ternoon he registered at the Hotel
Calhoun. That night the man from
Orangeburg arrived in the city and
also went to the Calhoun. Cook had
room at the same place. Yesterday
a Reporter in glaneing over the hotel F.,
register discovered that both Webb .
and the Orangeburg man were marked&
down in the same room, No. 80 It is
believed that the brick was turned
over to the Orangeburg man on Thurs
day night. Early the next morning
Webb and Cook skipped out and have
not been heard from since. That day
the Orangeburg man boarded the
train for home after having discover
ed that the brick for which ne had
paid So, 900 was nothing more than
piece of brass that could be bought
any day for perhaps dollar. He
was simply dupsd.
''As far as could be ascertalned no
complaint was lodged at police head
quarters against Cook or Webb, and
the authorities received 40 request
from any source at the time to en-.
deavor to make any arrests. The Re.
porter had to draw his inference OF
the affair from information from out
side parties, as the officers of the de-
partment did not care to discuss the
matter for publication unless warrant
ed in doing so Two OF the Charles
ton detectives called at the Calhoun to
see if they could find any trace OF the
men who sold the brick. But they
had skipped. 1t is known that an
officer was here from Orangeburg on
the same mission, though he has man
aged to do his work very quietly and
without being discovered Dy outsiders.
1T is not known positively wheth'
er the sale was made in Charleston or
not, although everything pointsin that
direction. The management of the
Hotel Calhoun, while they regret that
the scheme should have been worked
there, feel that no responsibility can
BE attached 10 them as the earangements
for the sale were evidently made before
the parties came to this city. ltcouid
have happened anywhere else. Or
angeburg people come to Charleston
very often and many OF them stop at
the Calhoun. Possibly this is why
Mr.. Webb's friend went there, who,
as it would seem, would prefer to lose
the money altogether rather than have
the story reach the ears Of the public
through the newspapers. The pur-
chase of gold brick, or any other
brick, is perfectly legitimate, put Mr.
Webb claimed that Cook had man
aged to steal it from the Government.
The chagrin of being so ignominious.
ly dured by pair of cor hdence men
is perhaps the worst thing to bear:
The affair IS to be regretted all around
and efforts will be made to bring the
guilty parties to earth if it is possible
to do so. However they have had
good start and with money in their
possession can go long ways from
Charleston ii two or three days
4 LAW has been enacted in Germa-
ny for controlling all forms Of specu:
Iation in staple products and industrial
securities. Future contracts as manip-
ulated on the exchanges or boards OF
trade are absolutely forbidden in grain
and mill products, as also in inning