Waterbury Democrat., 1900-11-21
VERY SLICK BOOK SCHEME.
Several Waterbury Men Taken
 in By the Agent.

He Is Selling An Alleged Copyrighted
 Edition of Messages and Papers of
 The presidents'-Justice Childs of
 New York Says the Copyright
 Scheme Is a Fraud From Start To
 Finish-Rendered Decision To-Day
 Against the Work and Against The
 Men Back of l..
 A man who represented himself as agent for q work entitled "MpSsages and Papers of the Presidents" which he offered for sale for S54 has been doing Waterbury and is supposed to have WOrlned himself into the c0nf- dence of several good citizens and left town, taking with him their good money. It will interest all who paid this man money to know that a de ciSion has just been handed down in the superior court pronomcing the whole thing a fraud and deciding in favor of the defendent in the case of q man who had signed the contract and given the agent q check. but got or to the scheme on time to have the check cancelled before it could be cashed. The agent sued and was beat en in the lower and higher courts. A prominent Bank Stret merchant had q run in with the agent in Waterbury. but he didn't get his check. but all the same he was able to exhibit checks signed by several of our best known citizens. who had taken the fellow at his word.
 Justice Childs, in passing judgment on the case, said: "The plain purpose of the person who originated this sys- tenn of obtaining subscribers for these books was to defraud the public. The very assumption of the name Commit tee on Distribution which this plain tiff says he did assume as q business name or style. imDarts a fraud. The addition of the name Bodmer. treas | urer of the cimmittee on distribution | extends the fraud. and the purp0rted | acceptance of the order for the com | mittee signed T. H. Burnett. Sub-cOm- | mittee No i. cOnsummatCS it whenever person is found doing business under the firm name or style of committee | on distribution it still was his individ- | ual business. It required no treasurer | of the committee on distribution. It | required no subcommittee No to | pass upon his orders. The assumption 1 of that style and method of doing buSi- ness plainly reveals the fact that this | plaintiff intended to send out his emiS- saries or agents to cffectuate his fraud
 ulent intent by making just as false statesments as were made by Pendle- ton to the defendant. Indeed. the state | mentS made by pendleton were in eX | act line with the paper to which he l procured the sigma ture of the defend
 ant. the whole being a gross fraud and | imDOSitiOn upon the defendant. who | was induced to believe by these state | mentS and papers that he was one of
 q few favored individuals who might
 purchase an invaluable work which
 could not be obtained in any other | manner or from any other source than | that thus offered. and that if he neg. | lected to close with such offer instant. | ly he would be forever deprived of hay. | ing in his possession this great work.
 ''It is not difficult to see how the de l fondant might be and was influenced by these statements to put his name tC
 this paper. which, upon the face of it
 inoDarted the same false and fraudu | lent statements as those really madC | by the pla intiT $ agent. who. doubtless was particeDs crimniS in tho tranSac- | tion. These statements were clearly | material and operated to secure the | name of the defendant to the contract
 which the plaintiff now seeks to en
 force an action in which the plaintiff
 claims. and assumes to be the only per | son interested in the vendor of these l books. Such a scheme. permeateG
 with fraud from start to finish. should
 not be permitted hv sanction of any
 court to succeed. The judgment here | in s affirmed with costs'