The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-27
The Bank at
LeOnninster
AND CLINTON MEN.
Old Real Estate Dodge
Worked on Unsuspecting.

weeks Clinton has been entertaining a
sWindler unawares; a swindler of ex-
traordinary adroitness, address, skill
and impudence. Royal Childs, proprie-
tor Of the American house, furnished
the essential items of board and lodg-
ing, to the tune of $40, and the head
quarters from which the swindler oper-
ated.
But Landlord Childs did not wonder
that he had been deceived when he
learned that the Leominster bank. one
Of the most careful savings institutions
in Massachusetts,, had been bitten ia
the tune of several hundred dollars
and other persons for sums, and things
of greater or less value. ~ Nf
The swindler meantime is travelling
away from the police as fast as he can.
presumably with a horse and carriage
secured from Walter w. Wright of this
place. on security scarcely more tangi-
BILE than the promises to pay he gave
for his board.
The person who is the author of all
these things first appeared in Clinton
III the latter part of the month of Au-
gust.
He registered at the American house
uhder the name of Edward J. Payne
ne was presumably laying the founda-
ton of the scheme by which he work
ed the Leominster bank yesterday.
lie was not seen again for some time
He left the house after a short STAY
He returned two months ago.
Tne lntimation that he was not
straight came to Clinton as a request
| from Chief Lasalle of Leominster tc
Chief Murphy Of this place, to ascertain
II there was a man of the name Of Ed
WARD ). Payne stopping at the Am
er1ean house. The request arrived last
night. 1t described Payne as about AZ
years old, six feet tall, we'll dressed
| and talkative, with dark hair. blue
eyes and short stubby beard. The de.
scription seems to be correct.
This morning Chief Murphy detailed
| Ofhcer William r. O'Toole to make ar
investigation. Payne left the hous,
only Tuesday morning, saying he hat
Purcnased a team and was about tt
drive to Boston. He said he would set.
tie his little board bill when he cam,
back.
| The horse and carriage that he uset
and the harness, too, he procured from
Walter w. Wright, a blacksmith. H,
gave Wright what purported to be
deed of land to the value of severa
! hundred dollars in Middleboro, Mass
He called this giving security." ant
SAID he would return and pay cash
Mr.. Wright believed this, and figure
that his loss for the turnout is $l35.
In the same fashion the six-foo
stranger with the magnetic voice. go
bicycle from Mr. Child's daughter
for which he gave deed for more al
legged land in Middleboro.
The bicycle he sold to obtain none,
with which to pay his car fare between
Clinton and Leominster. To Leomin
ster he made frequent trips while hi
bigger speculation was ripening. TIL
Clinton matters were merely fliers ia
ken for the pastime, as it were, in cd,
moments. 1t might also be said tina
he sold a deed for more Middlebor
realty to fellow boarder, for a sun
unknown. The victim was in Bostoi
when the Clinton correspondent of TIL
Spy called this afternoon.
The Leominster end of the story wa
investigated by the representative O
The Spy this evening.
The result is a story Of how a mai
whom nobody knew bought land wit
gall, built houses with impudence an
mortgaged land and houses to saw
ings bank to his own profit and tn
banks loss-although the bank in tn
case is in doubt as to the amount Of tn
loss.
The scheme appears to have been lai
far in advance down to details an
not to have been backed by even
small sum of money.
This is the way it was done July 2
last Barrett & Killelea, prominent rea
estate dealers in Leominster, receive
O. letter from one Edward j. PAYNE
representing himself as a resident O
Middleboro, in which Payne said tina
he contemplated settling in Leominstel
He needed a nice, cozy, comfortabl
little home there. Were there lots t
, be had?
Mr. Barrett replied that the firm ha
! exactly the lot Payne would want.
In the latter part of August Payn
appeared in Mr.. Barrett's office, an
the two, after looking at lots in variou
, localities, settled upon two lots o
Sixth street, ( Leominster, for whic
Payne agreed to pay 1925. He did pay
, but not then nor with his own money
even.
He gave a mortgage on the lots an
; got a bond He was to pay real none
for the lots within go days.
!, He had now secured his trump card
Barrett. Barrett is a responsible bust
ness man. He had formed the &C
{ quaintance of Barrett. The story wi
show how he used Mr. Barrett.
/ From Barrett he went to Adams I
Davis. contractors. He proposed tina
they build houses on the lots, they t
, furnish everything and to be paid. par
when the work was we'll advanced an
part when it was finished. For Adam
Payne broke q rule. He gave refer
ences. He told Adams of two or thre
persons in Boston who knew Payn
was all right and of one in Charles
town.
Adams & Davis didn't know Payn,
but he had bought lots, il it was on til
mortgage and bond plan, and the
would build the houses if somebod
, would contract for the cellars. TIL
cellar job was given to II. e. ellison, a
a favor ellison got his money for on
cellar. but ii wasn't Paynes none
.. any more than the money Barrel
g. Killelea got was Payne's none!
Smith Brothers We're asked to put i
the furnaces. They were too pleased.
Then, freely referring in the way c
conversation to my friend Barrett,
Paine began the real work of coinin
his wit into money. He went to tn
bank and arranged for a loan of $140
on the first house, $500 to be paid whe
lit was well along, and 5000 more whe
it was finished. The bank examine
the security and thought it suf
ficient Mr.. Barrett in due tim
accompanied Payne to the banl
and Payne drew $500. This was wher
/; Barrett and Killealea got pay for tn
lots. The rest of the money encour
aged ellison to build the other cellar.
The bank agreed to loan on the sec
lond house on the same terms TIL
house neared the $500 stage late las
week. The fruit was ripe enough {
pick on Monday. Tuesday Payne pick
ed It.
Tuesday morning, from his seat ii
Mr.. Wright's buggy, he airily wave
Adieu to Landlord Childs and drove in
Ito Leominster. On the way he pickle,
up another man, but no one knows TIL
other About 10 o'clock he appeare'