The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1902-08-07
Agent for Collection Agency Adopts
Oneer Methods.
HE MADE NO VICTIMS HERE
scene with Man whom, They
Claim Tried to Blackmail
Them for Honey But Did
Rot succeed.

A couple of our well known citi-
Gems had an experience Monday that
looks very much as though a gigan-
tic scheme Of fraud is being prac-
ticed throughout the country by a
firm operating under the name Of
Mutual Adjustment Company, OF
Syracuse, New York Several
months ago the representative OF
the company called upon some ofthe
business men here aud solicited the
colleetionof their accounts, making
certain promises to collect at a very
reasonable sum. Dir. Hicks was one
Of the men called upon, and he re-
lates his experience with the firm.
He says that when the agent called
he said he had no collections to
place, and the man went away.
Shortly afterwards he received a
couple Of letters from the firm,
which he did not think it
necessary to answer. Then in May
he received registered letter
which proved to be from the same
house The contents were unim-
portant, and be wondered at the
time Nthat the house should have
registered it. On Monday a man of
perhaps sixty years of age called at
his Office and Introduced himself
as an attorney in the employ OF the
Syracuse concern, and stated that
the Doctor was indebted to them for
$50. The Doctor said he had no
knowledge Of having ever done bust
ness with the house, wherenpon the
man produced u contract which he
claimed the Doctor had signed.
The Doctor admitted that the sigma
ture looked as if it might be genuine,
but he hardly knew how it could be.
Then the visitor produced the regis
try receipt card which had come
through the regular channels OF the
post office, and asked the Doctor to
compare the two signatures The
Doctor admitted signing the regis
try receipt card, but said he did,not
sign the contract with the agency.
Then the visitor went still stronger
and produced a note which bore the
doctors name. The doctor then de-
nounced the fellow as an impositor,
whereupon the man produced a
SUBPOENA claimed to be from Judge
Tripp's Court at Iron River, and
said that unless the doctor settled he
would be made to suffer. He threat
ened civiIand criminal proceedings.
DIR. Hicks dafed the man to do his
worst, and called upon Chief of Pol
ice Westcott, and warned him that
the4nan was a blackmailer, and
asked Mr.. Westcott to look after
him. The Doctor also threatened to
have the man arrested unless he
left town Immediately The man
took the first train out of town.
P. Z. Lawler had similar ex-
perience with the same man, claim
ing that the fellow produced forged
paper bearing his signature. Mr..
Lawler also refused to settle, and
was threatened with prosecution,
but the visitor went away
It develops that there were two
other business men on the agents
lists who were perhaps marked for
visits, but the vigorous manner in
which the affair was treated by DR..
Hicks and Mr. Lawler broke up the
game. Chief Westcott kept the
man watched all the time while here.
No legal action was taken, but
from the representation of the doc
tor end Mr.. Lawler it appears that
confidence game was attempted.