The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-03-03
He BOUGHT OATS
Farmers Being Worked With
Another SWindle.
FAXED FOR FIVE DOLLARS
Lightning Rod Scheme in
Alton Township.

Yesterday Fred Wilkerson, VINO lives six
miles east of Dold's packing house, came
10 town 10 see what could be done TO
relieve him from a contract he had made
relative to oats It is the same old story
with incidental new features. The slick
man with his wares called upon Mr.. VII
kerson and wanted to sell some oats. Ap-
parentIy the oats were no more in quality
than those that grow upon any Sedgwick
county farm, but the fakir painted them.
He painted them TO be larger, sturdy, not
affected by early dry spells, sure and
heavy yieIders, always marketable at a
premium. proof against vermin Of every
kind. They were wonderful oats. The
fakir's rhetoric was a sort Of AIladin's
lamp. delusion- He built up a mirage
Of profit and figuratively put the farmer
into possession Of a soft snap, a veritable
agricultural KIondike.
Mr.. Ferguson bought half a busheI Of
oats He signed a contract which he
supposed was nothing more than an
agreement whereby he was to receive at
harvest one dollar per busheI for all the
crop from this particular half bushel that
he cared to dispose of.
a half bushel OF oats Will seed scantily
half an acre and on a Sedgwick county
farm viii yield in an average season 20
bushels But the fakir's oats of half a
bushel measure was TO seed lavishly one
acre of ground and yield not less than so
bushels. OF course the farmer could feed
his eighty bushels if he wanted to or
SOW them the following year, but in order
4 -l.,- NTr
that he was in good faith the fakir agreed
TO buy all the product at one dollar per
bushel if the farmer so desired.
Mr.. Ferguson bought the oats He paid
500 for a half bushel. He didn't have to
agree to sell the yield but the agent must
report to his company, which was de-
nominated The Kansas City Cereal and
Agricultural Supply company just what
amount would be shipped in by each man
He signed an agreement to deliver %
bushels.
The farmer felt greatly elated for q
day or two. The fakir had promised TO
sell no more oats in that township. He
didn't and his promises was probably IN
necessary. But the farmer was to have
the sole agency and no man in any other
township was TO have more than half a
bushel.
He studied over the matter some and got
uneasy. Yesterday he came TO town to
ascertain the commercial standing and
reliability Of The Kansas City Cereal
and Agricultural Supply company" He
leaned that there wasn't any such a
company and never had been-not in Kan
sas City. He is now afraid that the
agreement will turn out to be note 1t
probably will. Farmers and business men
viii some day learn that home industry
IS a mighty good thing TO patronize-
Rumor comes from F. Leichardt Of At
ton township that the Sumner county
lightning rod swindIe has reached Sedg-
wick county. The scheme described by
the Wellington Journal has not yet been
worked successfully upon a Sedgwick
county man. It is as follows:
The lightning rod agent calls upon the
farmer with an electrical machine. and
after making the lightning dance around
his house to show the sparks Of electric
suid talks the farmer into the notion of
rodding his house. The agents prices are
steep. 6ut the farmer signs a contract
to have the rods put on with the under
standing that a certain number of feet
of rod. five balls and five vanes, would
be given gratis 1.-The work not to exceed
81. in cost" The agent departs with the
signed contract and few days after
ward the men come 10 rod the house
When the work is completed the farmer
is presented bill for $194, for work
and material" $50 of the amount being
for material They offer 10 compromise
for SO.
The clause in the rod contracts reading
amount is A new phase in this lightning
rod scheme and is what catches the limo