Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-09
DOORS ARE CLOSED.
Fairfield Floral Co.'S. Failure
to Secure an Injunction
Results in a Permanent Suspension
Of All Mail Business.
Bogus Testimonials Alleged to Be Root Of
the Trouble.


Fairfield. Me-, Sept. S.-(SpeciaD.-
Not being able to secure an injunction
from the circuit court restraining the
post Office authorities from preventing
their use Of the mails the Fairfield
Floral Co., today, shut down it's plant
for good. The company was stopped
from using the mails, last March, on
account OF alleged fraudulent use.
| Last October, advertisements ap-
| peared in the papers circulated outside
of the New England states. The adj
vertisemeRts requested a person to
send 80 cents for instructions for en-
ployment by which a person could earn
| good wages at home. With the in
struction book received by the person
answering tine advertisement came a
request to send 81 for material on
which tine person might work.
| In the package was enough material
to make two dozen flowers used in
| decorating bonnets and hats. For
these flowers the company agreed TO
pay SIPS dozen, leaving the wages of
| the employed at % cents dozen, the
| other dollar paying for the material
used in making the flowers. With the
| advertisements appeared testimonials
from persons alleged to have made
| good wages for the company.
| The company was started by G. Fred
Terry of Waterville, who advertised
| fpp. ryit raa x,ir o.
a reply. When the business began to
pour in the business was sold to Frank
Goodrich of Waterville, and Arthur
| Terry of this place. The transfer of
| the property took place. February %.
| In the meantime complaints were
| received by the postal authorities from
| persons saying that the company was
not what it represented to be.
| Many of those who had answered the
| advertisements sent the 80 cents, next
| the 81. When the request to send $50
| came for material with which to work
| many dropped out, leaving the COM
pany the gamer by SO much money, it
| is alleged
In the meantime the post office au-
| thorities received many complaints
| that the company was a fraud and an
| investigation was commenced.
Soon after the transfer took place
the post Office authorities began an in
| vestigatfon and preferred charges that
the testimonials Were bogus. April s
an order was issued forbidding the
company the use of the mails.
| Since that time the company has
been doing business on the advertising
Of lxrns for, ,.Ix
| the company was forbidden the use of
the mails, the case was taken to court,
the company attempting to have an
injunction served. preventing the post
office authorities from stopping their
| use of the mails. The case was taken
to the court and a decision handed
down, yesterday, refusing to grant the
| injunction. With the use of the mails
prevented the company went out of ex-
| istence and orders were given. today,
that the plant would be closed.
Arthur Terry, the manager of the
company was seen, tonight, and when
he first spoke of the company said:
y am not ashamed to meet any one
| believe the business is perfectly hon
! est. In every instance when requests
have been made ITO refund the money
sent US, we have always complied"
He then told this story of the affair.
When Mr.. Goodrich and he bought the
plant they knew but little about it.
| The testimonials that were advertised
| as genuine We're something they knew
nothing about; they supposed they were
genuine. In regard to the money sent
he said that the first money sent to
of advertising.
When the new members of the firm
had been in business but a short time
they stopped the necessity for send
ing $50 and took the smaller orders,
sent outfits for So, Sc and 50. As the
advertising was stopped there was no
fraud. Those who wanted their money
back received it. On the other hand.
very many of the 5000 sending for
goods renewed their orders and MANY
sent several times One woman in
particular had sent four times for a
800 outfit
The money made by the concern. Mr..
Terry said, was from the outfits. The out
fits cost the company 81 and was sold for
81 As far as the goods that were manu-
featured went they were retained by the
company and stored. Thus far nothing
has been done with them.
1t was the plan of the company later on
to make arrangements with some publish
ing house to use the flowers as premiums.
Mr.. Terry further said that he mad re-
ceived letters from wholesale dealers in
millinery goods. offering to take all the
manufactured goods that could not other
wise be disposed of.
In regard to the fraudulent testimonials,
Mr.. Terry said those were what prevented
the injunction being served. He quoted
the post office inspector as saying that
the only thing wrong about the company
was the testimonials. In using the words
of the inspector, Mr.. Terry quoted him as
saying: 1.-THE business is perfectly honor
able. You have inherited fraud in the
testimonials
In relation to the business, Mr.. Terry
said that it was the purpose of the COM
pany to extend the plant and give em-
pioyment to about 100 people at the very
least. With the failure to secure the in
junction this part of the plan is upset.
On account of the failure to secure the i'm
49, - = - III