Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-05-27
Innocent Purchaser.

overrating IN the vicinity of Lone Elm.
A number of farmers have been caught
and freely bled One or two farmers
"bluiicd out and escaped,
The oldest inhabitant cannot recall a
time when someone was not proving
upon farmers. For many years, the
plan of operations embraced notes OBJ
tanned under false prctenscs, and which
notes were sold to third parties. No
matter how garing the fraud, the
third party always collected, because
the courts held that a third party was
an innocent purchaser. The decisions of
the courts promoted the industry of
swinding farmers until no third party
was necessary. The so.callcd innocent
third party became one of the part
ners of the robber concern in not few
instances and the receiver of stolen
goods became a nabob, and was held in
high esteem because he had money.
Things have driited along in about the
same old rut, only there is, for variety,
change of methods The latest plan is
to send out forcrunncr,. who ncgotiates
a contract The rule is to promise to
rod a house for song, verbally, and Sc
cure a writing that renders verbal con-
tract null and void. Unsuspicious far
h.,
looking the clause that set aside verbal
contracts, and the written contract was
entirely different from the verbal con-
tract. In a few days the rod man ap-
pears with the written contract, the
rods are placed, and the written con-
tract presented. 1t was either hundred
and fifty dollars out of pocket or fight
to prevent the contracts consumation.
Two farmers north of Lone Elm
''bluffed the rod men off their premises
before the rods were placed. They re-
pudiated the contract. In one case, a
shot gun was necessary to work the
bluff"
There is no innocent third party
where the regulators succeeded, and
presumably nothing for the courts, but,
where the game worked, there is either a
good note or spot cash, The cash is
gone, and the note gone.
One strange thing in all this is the ease
with which some farmers are worked;
and the other strang thing is, why
man who bought note obtained under
false pretenses is shielded by the courts,
while a man who buys stolen horse is
not shielded A man who buys stolen
horse without knowing that the horse is
stolen, is an innocent third party
very innocent. A man who buys note
given by one OF his ncighbors to a
stranger is not SO innocent as ne seems
to be. Sometimes, the worm will turn,
and then there will be tar and feathers,
a ware, or two Of hemp. At least public
sentiment is cristaiiling III that di-
rection.
We have no advice to offer in the mat
ter Time and again, farmers have
been warned Invariably, the men who
swindle them escape. If they would not
be swindlcd lei them look out for them
selves, or employ their wives when an
agent is To he dealt with. An advcnturer
considers farmers his lawful prcy--not
becanse farmers are deficient intellect
ually, but because they are often as gull
able az children.
Politically, their bosses gull them into
voting against their interests The Joe
Letters and Armours gull them into be-
lieving that the Letters and Armours are
their bcncfactors. insulation is their
bane. The wits of the man who is alone
with God and his corn field is not rubbed
I'D as are the wits of the man who is in
constant contact with his fellow men,
God and nature never play tricks, so the
farmer is not on the lookout. Nature rs
what it seems to be, men, sometimes. are
lust what they don't seem to be. More
scoundrcls are entertained unawares
than angels, nowadays. a FARMER