Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-10-18
COLDBRICKED.
A Wealthy Monroe County
Farmer Loses $1,000.
SWINDLERS ARE SMOOTH
Worked the Long Lost Uncle Game
Gold Bricks and Cash Changed
Hands in ottumwa-swindiers Have
Disappeared.
From Tuesdays Daily.

From Tuesdays Daily.
Abba, Oct. 16.-.(SpeciaD-It has
developed within the last few days
that Thomas Dougherty, wealthy
and honest old Irish farmer, who re-
sides six miles north of Abba, has
been the victim of gold brick swim
die and as result of his transactions
with two strangers he was mulcted
out of $1,000 in hard cash. The be-
ginning of the story runs back to the
3rd day of October, when a man appar-
emily of middle age, called at his farm
and asked if he was Thomas Dough-
erty. Mr.. Dougherty said he was, and
then the stranger proceeded to tell
tale of disappearance of an uncle by
the name of thomas Dougherty, the
disappearance occurring something
like twenty years ago. The stranger
gave his name as Charles l.. Moore,
ant. his home as in Arizona. He said
a man from Hiteman called at his
place in reply to an advertisement as
to relatives of Thomas Dougherty and
told him such man lived near Abba
He then came to Abba to pursue his
search for the uncle whom he had al
ways supposed to be dead. If the
uncle could be found there was $4,000
that belonged to him and the court
records could be signed so that he
would come into possession of many
valuable mining claims. He put up
such strong talk that he touched
the sympathetic chord in Mr.. and Mrs
Dougherty's hearts and when the
stranger asked Mr.. Dousherty to ac-
| company him to Ottumwa, he agreed,
after his wife had told him to do so,
but to sign no papers.
Scene Changes to OttumWa.
Mr.. Dougherty and the stranger got
| into buggy, drove to Abba and took
the first train for Ottumwa. They
went to the Park Hotel where the
stranger pointed out the location of
valuable mineral claims on map. He
told Mr.. Dougherty of his long and
! faithful search for his uncle, and Mr..
Dougherty informed him that he had
| plenty of this worlds riches but was
always willing to aid any person. Then
the stranger preached the money ques
ton. His trip had caused him to use
much money and he found himself in
a cramped condition Could he borrow
about $1,000 for sixty days, and give
as security two gold bars which he
had with him, and which had come
from one of the claims. How would
Mr.. Dougherty know the genuineness
of the bars, that was easy, there was a
government assayer in Ottumwa
He could be called in. The stranger
went forth to get the assayer. He re-
turned, the assayer made an inspec-
ton and test of the gold. 1t was the
real article. Mr.. Dougherty inspected
the signature, the stamps and they
were that he thought from govern,
ment assayer. He gave up his good
hard dollars when the two arrived in
Abba the stranger stayed in the
city while Mr.. Dougherty went to his
home. The stranger had the money
but Mr.. Dougherty had the gold bars,
two of them weighing forty pounds
each, was that not enough security?
Gots Over SwindIe.
Friday there was difference. Mr..
Dougherty received letter from his
nephew(?) and it told Mr.. D. that he
had been skinned, fieeced and buncoed
most beautifully and it would do no
good to search for the man who did it
as he would be enjoying the money in
a foreign cline.
Mr.. Dougherty is financially able to
stand the swindle. He owns over a
thousand acres of land-the best in
the county-but his faith in human
beings has been sadly Jared.