Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-11-22
lSIT ANEW SWINDLE?.
A Nearby Jeweler Mulcted Out of
Fine Jewelry.
CATCHY SWINDLE WOREEDBY WOMAN
Not Yet Attempted in This City, But
Evidently Will Be Tried in All
Large cities-Lesal Opinions On
the Matter.

Evidently Will Be Tried in All
g Large cities-LegaI Opinions On
the Matter.
Evidently there is no end to new
gratis" and it is also an evident fact
that the American people can be work
ed every time somebody comes along
with anything to be bit at. New swim.
ding schemes have been attempted
and worked so often in the past few
years that it is getting to be science
tor a person with Crooked" intentions
TO find something that has not been
worked to death, and with the laws be-.
ing enforced more stringently every
day, it is getting SO it takes an artist
to work graft and get away with
the goods. While making his rounds
this morning Courier representative
ran onto something that has the ear
marks of being original, and while it
is not known that the same scheme
mas been worked in this city there is
every Indication that some party is
going about the country working it,
and what is more they are realizing
handsome profits from it, Generally
when there is swindling scheme on
hand 1t will be found that it is being
Worked by man, but this time prece.
tents are being cast aside and hand.
Bome well-dresSed woman, whose iden-
tity has not as yet been learned is
reaping the benefits of what the well
dressed man, with crooked intentions
has heretofore claimed for his own.
One day last week well dressed,
genteel appearing woman appeared in
a leading jewelry store in town not
far distant from Ottumwa and asked
to be shown a selection of diamonds.
After examining the jewelers. stock
infinitely she selected fine set of dia-
mond earrings, rendered a check in
4 payment. OF course, being an utter
4 stranger, the merchant refused to &C.
cept the check, whereupon the lady
growing very indignant, telling the
merchant she considered him a very
poor business man in refusing such an
order without the least investigation,
T land casting a doubt upon her vera
city" picked up her check and swept
!, from the store. The merchant natur-
ally was interested in the manner in
which the occurrence came up, and
stepping across the street to the bank
upon which the check was drawn made
Inquiries as to whether such party
had funds in the bank. He was told
by the cashier that the party had $5,-
600 on deposit, but that it had only
been in the bank a month. Cursing his
luck in having lost such valuable
! sale, the merchant went back to his
place of business. It seems, however,
1Ius was only smart scheme by
which the mysterious lady had of max
ing her victim bite" the easier. About
two hours after this occurrence the la.
dy reappeared at the store and telling
the merchant she had been all over the
city and having failed to find any jew.
els that suited her, asked that her ere.
dit be looked up and if the gentleman
would accept her check she would be
pleased to take the diamonds OF
course the merchant was only too glad
to accommodate her and took the
check without further questioning.
The sequel came next day when he
took the check to the bank to have it
Dashed, for during the time the lady
3 had been out of the store she went di.
rectly to the bank and withdrew all
her money, and with the diamonds in
her possession disappeared. OF course
the matter was placed in the hands Of
4 the police, but after an investigation,
the case was given up and as yet the
party to the fraud has not been dis.
covered nor is she liable to be. The
Courier learning of the case and wish.
ing to ascertain if such a scheme had
been tried in this city made in
quiries at all the leading jew.
elry establishments in the city
but has been unable to find anyone
who has been approached in like
manner. AS the case was something
Z that had never been worked be-
fore as far as is known, and
there was some doubt as to
the outcome of such case should it
be brought into court number of
attorneys of this city were asked their
opinion on the matter. From the re-
suit of these interviews they are all
of the opinion that a party working
this scheme could be made to suffer
the penalty for such an offense, the
offense apparently coming dnder the
head of obtaining money under false
pretenses. Hon. A. G. Steck when
seen said:
The astuteness of the lady is admir-
able but she has not evaded the Grim
fnal law. If there was no money in
the bank subject to the check at the
Lille foL6 gave dLu iICCSlV0u LIE
diamonds, the goods were obtained un.
der false pretenses.
George r. Heindel.
It's good swindle. l think she OBJ
tanned the goods under false pre-
lenses.
w. D. Tisdale.
It is a swindle evidently pre-arrang-
ed, in pursuance of a we'll laid scheme.
The talk she made in being indignant
was probably for the purpose Of hav-
ing the merchant go to the bank. 1t
would undoubtedly he held to be
crime in the courts.
e. G. Moon.
1t seems to me case of intent to
defraud and she accomplished the in
tent. think it would be a plain case
of obtaining money under false rre,
lenses. 81