Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-03
A CLEVER SWINDlER
Representing to Be a Clothing Sales
man Works Augusta.
Secures Orders With Advance Payment and
Then Suddenly Leaves.

A sharper Of the very slickest sort
has worked some of the people of the
city. within the past week, and now
he has gone to a new field to continue
his work. This man was one who came
to Augusta one week ago last Monday,
and claimed 10 be a solicitor for a Chi
cago clothing firm. He has worked
many people in the city by collecting
an advance sum of each who wished
clothing and he has left without pay
ing his board bill TO Mrs. T. NJ. Baker
This man came to Augusta and went
TO Mrs. Bakers representing that he
was tired of hotel life and after 25
years on the road had decided To go to
private boarding houses. He said he
was a travelling man and was receiv-
ing $4,000 a year and his expenses. His
assistant was coming in a few days
from Lewiston, having stopped in that
city TO deliver the goods they had sold
there. Mrs. Baker believed the man
who told a very nice story and was an
educated, gentlemanly appearing man.
She said she required a payment, and
he replied he had just deposited a large
sum of money, but could draw her a
check in case she wished. but she said
it would be all right without anything
of the sort as he said his assistant
would be around in a few days with
some cash. He claimed he was close
friend of Landlord Randall of the Cony
house. who was somewhat huffy be-
cause he would not stop there, but he
explained. when he was through here
a few years ago he stopped with Mr..
Randall and a the end of the time Mr.
Randall would take nothing for his
board. He said Mr.. Randall had or
dered a suit of clothes this time though.
He would go out short time. each
day. and then return sitting much
about the house. His stories of his
past life We're such that though told in
a perfectly truthful manner would
make people somewhat suspicious of
believing him. He said his next stop
would be in British Columbia.
He went out last Friday morning,
and since that time he has been among
the missing.
Mrs. Baker deputized one of her
boarders. Mr.. Parker. to go out and see
what he could find. Mr.. Parker found
that there was no deposit in any of the
banks for the man. neither did Land
never having heard of such a man. At
the pulp mill it was found that he had
sold several suits, or rather had taken
the orders for them and collected 81 in
each case. 1t is thought in the few
days he was here he took between Is
and 20 orders and collected the deposit.
No one seems to know just what firm
he represented though it was printed
on the leaves of his book. One man
claims the fabrics he was selling We're
of the sort in vogue four years ago. His
prices We're so very cheap that anyone
who knew anything about cloth would
see at once that he was getting good
material for little money and this was
the reason doubtless why many We're
taken in.
The man gave the name of Benjamin
Larrabee. He was 3S years of age and
had iron grey hair and mOustache. He
was rather short and stout, weighing
about 100 pounds, and wore light
brown suit. His eye was described as
being very full.
His Augusta acquaintance are not
mourning so much over their little loss
as they, are over the fact that they
were so easily taken into camp by him.
Mrs. Baker cares not so much for the
amount of his board that she lost, as
she does for the protection of others
and all would be glad to hear that he
has been apprehended in some other
city. He said he was going to Water
Vile from Augusta. but that cannot of
cOIrSea no ralia6 ,nnn