The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-03-15
Eyery.Man His Own Silver Platter.

A. j. Wiley once resided on Elm street
but does so no longer. The worst OF it is
there are many good people OF this city who
mourn the fact that they ever listened to
his guilesome tongue.
A few weeks since Wiley canvassed the
city for ware to plate with what he called
Royal Silver" He represented himself to
be an expert lplater and that by his new
process in injunction with his extended
experience, he could silver the goods OF the
populace at 81 per dozen.
His smooth manner and the low rate APP
psaled to many Of the local housewives and
he collected nearly ahrndred lots of knives,
forks and spoons varying in number from
two to two dozen pieces, the whole lot be-
ing good load for a wheebarrow.
Among the lot were articles which though
OF little intrinsic value yet were greatly
valued by their owners because OF being
heir-looms.
w. M. Ordway OF the Emery collection
agency had been contributor to the pile
and after consigning his articles to the ten
der care of the expert platter" he learned
that Wiley was not of 80 rosy color as he
painted himself Mr.. Ordway went to the
home Of Wiley to talk the matter over with
him but when he arrived he found that
Wiley had departed for parts unknown,
leaving behind destitute crippled wife
aud also several creditors.
Mrs. Wiley, who is a deserving woman,
explained to Mr.. Ordway the whole scheme
Of the plating business. 1t appears that
Wiley had never had any experience in the
business but had been reading pamphlet
on the subject and conceived the idea that
he could reap untold wealth from an I'M
suspecting public by sending for an amateur
outfit and putting the price where one
could afford to even plate their regulations
He sent for the outfit at an expense of
about 800 and for which he never paid. He
did not wait for its arrival before accumu-
lating business but hustled around with
the above result. When the outfit finally
came, Wiley began his career as a platter
which was failure from start to finish
He closed out his business by skipping,
taking his plating outfit with him.
His wife feels keenly the course of her
husband and at her request Mr.. Ordway
took the articles collected to the Cotton
Manufacturing Company to see if he could
not arrange for the carrying out of Wiley 8
contract The firm could not do the work
al so extremely low q figure as given by
Willev so Mr.. Ordway took the articles to
his office, upon the advice of an officer, for
safe keeping, sorted them out and listed
them and has advertised the fact to the
owners in the local press.
1t has proved fortunate for the owners
that Mr.. Ordway adopted this course,
though it has put him to considerable ex-
pense and trouble. Wiley had another at
tack of the plating mania and sent for the
articles so that had they been at his home
their owners would presumably never
again have seen them.
Several have already called at Mr.. Ord
ways office and claimed their property and
have not only thanked him for its recovery,
but have contributed toward making him
even financially as all will undoubt be
glad to do II they can once more regain their
property. 1t is suspected that Wiley is in
Burlington.