Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-23

niture store and select any piece of fur
niture in the house and it would be SEM
me free More as joke than anything
else / went to the store and picked out
Davenport lounge worth SITS. 1t was de-
livered at my door the next day with
receipted bill.
1T cost me but 80. and I got the pic
lures free But gave the agent no tes-
t:monial, but have been told that it is
serving as a great advertisement for the
agent
This alleged testimonial was freely
flashed in Lincoln and many of the VIC
tins allege that they We're deceived
thereby.
LOOKED INTO IT HERE.
The work of the four canvassers in
Marshalltown was looked into at the
time the men came here, a few weeks
ago On Jan. Z Mayor Jones received a
letter from st. Louis, from a man
signing himself as B. D. Whiteside.
which told the mayor of the presence OF
the agents in the city, and stated that
a fraudulent business was being con-
Quoted. Mayor Jones Immediately had
the canvassers brought before him, ana
questioned them thoroughly as TO the
manner of the way their business was
being conducted, and as proofs the
Shaw letter was presented, showing
that the governor was satisfied with his
end of the bargain. The men also
claimed that Whiteside was an ex-em-
ploye of the company, had been dis
charged, and was taking this means OF
getting even" Not satisfied yet Mayor
Jones wrote to Kansas City, where
Whites,de said the men had been driven
opt, and received word that no such
men had ever operated there. AS con-
sequence the canvassers were allowed
to proceed with their work.
The letter from st. Louis, which was
the first intimation had that perhaps
there was possibility Of everything not
not being straight, is as follows:
"St. Louis. Jan. 6.-Chief Of Police,
Marshalltown, Ia.-My Dear Sir: A con-
Germ calling themselves American Art
Publishers, of Chicago, have a crew OF
men in your town, soliciting orders for
a magazine called the Modern Master
pieces of the World. They furnish their
men with very handsome cuts of furni-
ture and china ware. which they repre-
sent to give as premiums to each ana
every subscriber. which they do not.
They simply offer these inducements to
get the people to take hold of 1t, and
when they have their money for their
cheap literature that is all the people
get. It is fake business. pure and
simple. The men there. who are taking
orders. really believe this firm gives
these things, but they do not.
IT will refer you to different towns
where they have skinned the people In
this way namely, Detroit, Mich, Lam
sing. Mich, Flint, Mich, Jackson, Mich.
Toledo. o., Cincinnati. O., indianapolis,
Ind. Milwaukee. Wis, and they have
been driven out Of Kansas City.
II have notified Governor Leslie M.
Shaw. of your state, as to the method of
this firms business, as they roped him
In and are using his name to fleece the
people OF your state. If you will go to
the Stoddart hotel. in your city. You will
find these men there and they will show
you the premiums which they represent
to give.
''If you wish any further information
in the matter, I stand ready to furnish
1t at all times, as have something like
1000 names of people thru the country
whom they have worked this way. 1t
is now In the hands of the postoffice in
spectors at Chicago, Ill. AS there have
been number of complaints made by
subscribers the authorities have taken
the matter up.
You will kindly advise me as to the
method you wish to pursue and / will
help you to stop them from doing any
further business in your state, as they
have no license nor bonds Of guaranty
whatever and are no corporation con-
Germ in the least. Yours respectfully.
"B D. WHITESIDE."
CLAIM 1T IS ALL RIGHT.
Mr.. Robert Armstrong, who was one
of the men who worked here for the
company, arrived in the city this morn
ing from Oskaloosa. accompanied by l..
Gibson. another of the canyassers. Mr..
Armstrong said. when asked about the
Lincoln matter, that the did not believe
1t and that he was sure that everyone
would get his premiums, as they
had been promised, according to
their contracts. So sure was
that the scheme was all right that he
said he was willing to deposit 81 900 with
Mayor Jones that the premiums would
all be paid Mr.. Armstrong explained
tina. the reason his company was able
to pay the premiums for SO seemingly a
small amount In return was that 50
many of the subscribers dropped out
before all their payments were made,
thus violating their contracts and for
feiting their rights to premiums. Both
he and Mr.. Gibson stated that If there
was any crooked work being done by
his company they We're entirely inno-
cent Of it. They said that they had fn-