Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-12-12
WAS THE SCHEME of OsMER w.
ROPER FOR GETTING OTHER
PEOPLES MONEY.
A Plan BY Which Thousands of Vic
Tins Helped n Smooth ScoundreI
to Amass Fortune-Money Was
Sent From Every State in the
Union and From Almost Every
Town-AIluring Promises Held Out
Till the Victims Were Bled to
the Last Drop = Bigger Profits
Than Miller Made.

rested to-day by United States Marshal
Garside, Postoffice Inspector w. B.
Snow and several deputies and commit
ted to Jail in default. of $4,000 bond
The charge is based upon an allega-
ton that he was using the mails for
swindling purposes. The authorities
claim that his scheme was far and
away better than Miller's Franklin Syn
dictate in that he took in plenty OF
money and seldom or never paid any
out except for running expenses. They
have fifty complaints drawn up against
him, and say fifty more are filed and
that they can get thousands of them If
need be- The swindle, as they say it
was has been in operation for three
years. Roper's business required a
large force of clerks, stenographers and
typewriters, and he did an enormous
mail business.
1t is claimed that Roper is the
Realty Corporation Company of New
Jersey, the Realty Loan and Trust
Fund Company, the Realty Loan and
Title Company and the Four Per Cent.
Mortgage Company. The authorities
say the companies existed only on pa
per, although regularly incorporated,
and that in each Roper was the only
person concerned.
Inspector Snow says Roper's scheme
was alluring and that his victims are
in every State in the nation and en-
brace all classes. He says that even
churches and lawyers have been taken
in by Roper.
According to the inspector, who has
had personal charge Of investigating
Ropers affairs, the four concerns were
worked in pairs The method is al
legged to have been something On this
line:
The Realty Corporation Company
sent out alluring circulars all over the
country. The stationery was most
elaborate, and SO gotten up as to de-
ceive even business men. The body
of each circular stated that the COM
pany was in position to obtain for
any person with property loan of any
amount of money at 4 per cent. or even
less. Money was reported to be cheap
and plentiful in Newark and not only
good terms as regarded interest were
offered, but easy terms as to repayment
and renewals. If the person receiving
the circular should not want to bor-
row, he doubtless knew of some friend
who did. Would he hand the circular
to this friend, or send the friends
name to the company?
When a response came asking for
money and offering security, a reply
was sent asking for more particulars
and calling for a fee of $40 to cover
appraisement costs. In due time the
victim received a communication ap-
proving the loan so far as the Realty
Corporation Company was concerned,
but requiring certificate of search
and title guarantee from the Realty
Land and Title Fund. By the time
this company exacted its fees the vic
tim had paid in from $40 to so, ac-
cording to the abstract of transfers,
furnished by the would-be borrower.
After this plan had been worked out
and every dollar possible had been ex.
tracted the loan would be approved.
Then the victim would be taken in
hand again. The details of the bor-
rowing would be laid before him. 1t
was explained that every month the
money taken in from interests, repay
ments, ETC., was put up at auction un-
der rules similar to those of building
and loan associations, and that the
money was loaned TO the highest bid
ders. How much would the borrower be
willing to bid. 1t was left to himself
and an idea was given him that the
money was easily obtained The bid
ding occurred monthly and We're open.
The bid had to be filed out, and
cash to an amount equal to five dollars
on each 800 was required to accom-
pany the bid. AS there were few ap-
plications for less than $1,000. and
most of the victims wanted several
thousands, the returns were heavy.
After the passing of the date when
the sale of the money was supposed to
have taken place, the victim 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.
The name or names of those who were
supposed to have bought the money
were given. The company would hold
the percentage paid in and bid the
same rate again unless the customer
wished to increase the amount he
would bid, in which case enough money
ID make up the additional per cent.
OF the whole must be forwarded. Usu-