The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-12-08

ff descriptions count for anything, an
oily-tongued individual, who stirred up
a sensation in Richmond several years
ago and made a fortune here and else
where for himself and the monster bunco
syndicate he is alleged to represent, has
run up against the real thing down in
North Carolina They have got him
where they want hinl-right be-
aind ponderou3 iron bars arranged
Systematically about three inches apart
Unless all the informatio from the Old
North State is erroneous, this individual
Is none other than Frank Parker. with a
string of aliases not all of which are in
The blue book.
1t was down about Greensboro that 81
farmer was buncoed out OF several thou
sand on the same old game. A man
who gives his naIne IS Howard was ar
rested. with several associates. A de-
scription of one of these TALES with
Parker in every respect. To make a
long story short. the local court SEN
fenced tie whole push to terms IN
the penitentiary, respectively from I'VE
TO eight years. The prisoners put up
game fight and We're represented by able
and shrewd counsel, and finally the case
was carried to the Supreme Court in
Raleigh. Here the bunco men struck
court, and now Parker and his asso-
ciates must pay the fiddler.
From all accounts, Parker and his
confederates spent large sums of money
10 get their liberty. That is part
of their game. he did the same thing
here in Richmond. and finally he got
bail in one Of the county courts near
here.
PAYING BUSINESS.
,-lN;J.
srro,Fs pnse, involving adventure land
heavy risks. proved to be a remarkably
lucrative enterprise conducted by
Parker, who appears to have been for
years the travelling representative of
l:G trust. located presumably, in New
York as the home Office, and operating
on an extensive scale. The eNloence
as brought out in this city when Par
ker was making desperate and eNpen-
sive efforts through his counsel to Sc
cure bail gave rise to the opinion that
the main objects and purposes OF the
business is to get a large and influential
sum of money for practically nothing
1t is colossal swindIe. which has been
often worked on men Of a highly spec
ufative turn OF mind. The officers OF
the syndicate in New York plan the gem
cral principles upon which to operate
and then engage men Of shrewdness.
pleasing address and glib tongues to car
~ them out. When the commercial
travellers of the syndicate get into hot
water, which usually happens sooner or
later. the home Office proves quite fa.,h-
ful. so far as financial aid is concerned.
and come up with the funds and legal
help to secure bail for the prisoners
This accomplished, The Individual out on
bail mysteriously disappears and when
his case on the docket is called his
whereabouts are supposed to be some
where on the map of the universe-thats
all.
HOW IT OPERATES.
The enterprise. so far as can be learn
ed. is conducted upon u combined basis
OF salary and commission. The travel
ing representative gets so ns,ch a month
and a liberal percentage of the amounts
involved in his deals. a big part goes
back to the home Office as compensa-
ton for The men at. the helm. and a
largo proportion of the dividends is set
aside for attorneys fees and other eS-
penses not enumerated in annual state
c,cnfs.
The general plan upon which the
scheme is operated includes an alleged
Ing gold mine out West. discovered by
an Indian, who appears later on during
the doyeIop7,acrlt of the details business