Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-11
END OF BARTON CASE.
Something of the Action Just
Stricken From Docket.
WAPELLO COUNTY PEOPLE In IT.
Barton, One of the Principals, Now
Doing Time, and Thos. |. Senter
Said to Have Had a Hand, Has Been
Identified.
[From Fridays Daily.l

lFrom Fridays Daily.1
One of the coolest swindles ever
perpetrated in Ottumwa was commit
ted by man in 1888 who had the APP
pearance OF farmer, yet underneath
the grizzly whlskers and rough exte-
rior there was enough smootnness to
coax $SOU out of an Eldon mans pock-
ct on fraudulent land deal.
In the Courier's court column yes
terday the case of the State of Iowa
vs. John W. Barton, the public was in
formed, had been dismissed for the
reason that Barton is now serving
time on the charge of attempting to
swindle Greenfield man out OF {
sum of money in the same manner
that he worked in Ottumwa.
In December, 1898, John Nv. Barton,
a stranger, who had the appearance OF
well-to-do farmer, walked into the
Office of C. E. Norton, real estate
dealer in this city, to make application
for a loan, saying that he intended to
trade some Sigourney property for
some Wapello farm land and that he
needed about $500 to stock the farm.
the ordinary course of business, and
later, happening to be in Eldon, saw
John r. Kane Mr.Kane it is said, in
CURED of Mr.. Norton if he knew
where a loan could be placed Mr..
Norton, it is said, replied that he had
customer for an $500 loan, and re-
lated the circumstances, about as CIV
en- above. Barton, by means OF al
legged fraudulent deeds and mortgages.
and with the cooperation of second
party, unknown, but supposed to be
Thomas l. Senter, now under arrest in
Council Bluffs, charged with obtaining
money by false pretenses in another
deal similar to this, completed seem
ingly perfect chain of title to the Wa
pello county farm land, and Mr.. Kane
made the loan, taking mortgage on
the land.
:, Kane Commenced Action.
Interest on the loan becoming due
ard nor being paid Mr.. Kane started
force losure proceedings and learned
that the land was owned by we'll
known Wapello county man, who, at
the time the alleged fraudulent
mortgage was made here, was sojourn-
ing il Colorado. The owner of the
land fled an answer in the case, set
ting up the fact that he was the own
er and asking to have the title quoted
in him. OF course, the Wapello coun-
ty farmer was able to prove his side of
the case, and in view of the fact Mr..
Kane had to dismiss his foreclosure
proceedings, which he did.
Sued Mr.. Norton.
After time he began suit against
Mr.. Norton, alleging that it was under
his representations that he (kane)
made the loan and hi nee alleging
that Mr.. Norton was liable. MIR. Nor
ton says that he simply related the
facts to Mr.. Kane, who made the loan
knowing as much about the case as
Mr.. Norton himself did.
After about two years this suit was
dismissed, and by the action Mr.. Nor
ton was completely vindicated He
always maintained that the applica-
ton for the loan was made in the or
binary course of business, and THAT he
pursued the same plan in this case
that he has in all others, namely, max,
ing no recommendations, but letting
the parties judge for themselves.
Where Senter Comes In.
Senter is supposed to be the man
who acknowledged the mortgage at
Morning Sun, for the Wapello county
farmer, the real owner as has been
stated, being in Colorado.
A few weeks ago The Courier told of
the arrest of Senter at his home near
Memphis, Mo-, charged with swindling
Council Bluffs firm out of large
sum of money on nearly the same kind
of deal that Barton is charged with
working in Ottumwa. 1t is thought
that both Senter and Barton WORKED
together, altho neither have been con
nected with the crimes of the other as
yet.
A recent special dispatch from Coun
Gil Bluffs contains the information
that Senter has been positively iden
titled as the man who swindled al
least two persons within the last ter
years. The dispatch follows:
'Thos. ]. Senter of Memphis, Mo.
the alleged land swindler under ar
rest here awaiting trial ON two indict
ments in connection with obtaining
$640 from Lougee & Lougee, of this
city, on bogus farm mortgage, was
today positively identified by A. j.
Jackson, business man of Morrison
ILL.,. and w. HI. Bull of Rockwell, Iowa
as the person who victimized them or
. similar deal ten years ago. They al
lege that Senter defrauded them ou
pf $3,S40."