The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-12
SCHEME THAT BEAT MILLER'S.
ROPER's CONFIDENCE GAME TOoR
IN MANY VICTIMS.

Promised Loans on Small Interest.
Charged High Fees, and the Loans
Were Never Mnde-Arresfed for
Using TIE Mails for "A scheme to-
Defrnmd-Fifty Charges Against
Him--Took I'm Money without Pay
ing Any out.
New York, Dec 1l.-Osmar w. Roper, o1
Newark N. j.. was arrested to-day by
Uniied States Marshal Garside, Postoflca
Inspector w. b. Snow and several depu-
ties, and committed TO Jail In default of
5000 bond.
The charge Is based uron an allegation
that he was using the mails for swlndling
purposes. The authorit es claim that his
scheme was far and away better than
Miller's Of the Franklin syndicate, in that
he took in plenty of money and seldom or
never paid out any except for running ex-
penses.
They have nifty complaints drawn up
against him. and say that fifty more are
filed and that they can get thousands oe
them If need be.
The swindle, as they say II was, has
been In operation for three years Roper's
business required a large force OF clerks,
stenographers ard typewriters, and he did
an enormous mail business
1t is claimed that Roper Is the Realty
Corporation Company OF New Jersey. the
Realty Loan ana Trust Fund Company.
the Realty Loan and Title Company and
the -Four Per Cent Mortgage Company.
The authorities say the companies existed
only on paper, although regularly incor-
porated, and that in each Roper was this
only person concerned.
Inspector Snow says Roper's scheme was
alluring and that his victims are In every
state In the nation and embrace all classes.
He says that even churches and lawyers
have been taken in by Roper.
How the scheme Was Worked.
According to the inspector who has per-
soual charge of investigating Roper'e af-
fairs the four concerns were worked In
pairs. The method Is alleged to have been
something on this line:
The Realty Corporation Company sent
out alluring circulars all over the country
The stationery was most elaborate ana
so gotten up as TO deceive even business
men. The body OF each circular stated
that the company was IN a position TO OBJ
tain for any person with property loan
Of any amount of money at per cent. or
even less.
When responsaas ae asking for money
and Offering secuit a reply was sent
asking for more pan 'culars and calling
for a fee OF $40 to cover appraisement
costs. In due time the victim received a
communication approving the loan as far
as che Realty Corporation Company was
| concerned. but requiring a certificate OF
search aud title guarantee from the Realty
Land and Title and. BY the time this
~ tta faau xtfr h<aA
paid IN from 40 to $50. according to tho
abstract of transfers, furnished by the
would-be borrower
After this plan had been worked out ana
every dollar possible had been extracted
the loan would be approved. Then the
victim would be taken in hand again. The
details of the borrowing would be laid
before him. II was explained that the
money taken In from interests, repay
ments, etc, wa put UP al auction un-
der the rules similar to those of building
and loan associations, and that the money
was loaned to the highest bidders.
Last Pull at "A sucker.
Tho bid had TO be filled out. and cash
30 an amount equal to $5 on each 800 was
required TO accompany the bid AS there
were few applications for less than 81 900.
and the most Of the victims wanted several
thousand, the returns were heavy.
After the passing of the date when tho
sale Of the money was supposed to take
| place the victims received a note The
company was sorry, but he had been OUT
bid by others, and every dollar sold had
been disposed of at better rate than he
had offered. When a victim made a de-
mand for the return of his money he re-
celved blanks which he had to fill out He
could not get fees back, but percent-
age of the 5 per cent. deposit would be re-
| turned. usually 10. Is or 20 per cent. at the
expiration of twelve months from the re-
ccipt OF blanks, and so on.
Roper will be given a hearing on Tues
day.
The police estimate that RopeFs opera
tions must have netted him 100000 He Is
said 20 have been arrested before for
swindling.
Among his victims are a church In An-
napolis Md, which gave up 1884, and the
Mount Zion Baptist Church of Knoxville.
Tenn, which sent 500
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