The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1902-10-15
In CORVALLIS
YOUNG GIRL is BELIEVED To BE
TIuTIM OFzFEMALE
SWINDLER.
Invested Savings in Scheme Two
Weeks Ago and Now Waits
Developments-First Foot
Ball Game-Other
Local News

Local News
A female swindler who makes i
her business to bunco women ane
young girls has attracted much at
tention in Willamette Valley towns
of1ate. She has apparently BEEN ir
Corvallis. Miss Ida Van Hooseu,
who resides in the same block and
Immediately west of the F. L. Mil
Ter residence invested SIS in the
scheme of strange woman who
called two weeks ago, and up to the
present has received nothing of the
many good things promised in re-
turn. The stranger introduced her
sell as Mrs. Yelton. She claimed
to be general manager of a book
ceucern and said she was QUITO ap-
poiat district managers who were
IN turn to establish agencies. She
told fine story and Miss Van
Hoosen decided to invest. Fhe
stranger required SIS to be advanc-
ed as a guarantee Of good faith, aud
Miss Van Hoosen complied. The
suua was the total of the later S
savings in the hop field. 1t was
paid out ard contract signed.
Miss Van Hoosen has since been
watching the mails for supplies and
instructions with which to bagin
work, but friends are now convinc-
ed that the things expected will
never arrive.
The same woman endeavored to
pursuade Miss Lettie Wicks to in
vest IN the scheme. She called
there and related an elaborate sto-
ry. She told the family that she
was earu;ng So, 500 per year, and
if reports current are true, her
statement is probably correct.
Some women who operated in
the same way was at Brownsville
and other Willamette towns. The
scheme worked is identical with
that reported from other places.
The mystery is that with the news
papers telling Of her operations peo-
pie continue to become victims. It
is a fact, however, that th re are
those who teach that newspapers
ought MOTTO beread. Mondays Or
gonian tells the following story
that is pertinent to the above facts:
l'The police received a circular
yesterday from F. V. Myers, COM
missioner of the state bureau of la
bor statistics, San Francisco, Cal,
giving a warning concerning the
probable visit to Oregon of a Mrs.
Nelson, whose business methods in
getting $3.50 from young girls, has
drawn upon her the criticism of the
San Francisco police. It is stated
that Mrs. Nelson advertises herself
as the agent of an Eastern publish
ing mouse, and states that she wants
yos,ug girls as solicitors to take or
ders for her firms publications, and
after 80 days preparatory work to
take positions on the road as "feld
managers" One important part of
the agreement is that the applicant
for the position deposits with Mrs.
Nelson $3.50 as a guarantee of good
faith. Mr.. Myers states that ihe
is asked to sign contract
embodying these conditions, and
that there is impossible chance that
the applicant can ever fulfill the
work called for. Mr.. Myers thinks
that the contracts in question are
so ingeniously worded as to avoid
legal eutanglement, and he had one
interview with Mrs. Nelson in
which she promised to refund one
sum of $3.50 about which a com
plant had been filed. About that
time, however, she left San Fracisco
without giving her future address.
It is thought that she may have |
come to Oregon.