Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-03-12

library clubs, and his principal bust
ness was to establish agencies. He de-
cided to make his headquarters, the
main office, at independence Rev.
Douglass went his security until he got
started, it is claimed to the extent OF
about $1500. A suit of rooms was
rented; typewriters and office supplies
We're purchased, and in week five
stenographers were employed attending
TO the correspondence, which already
had begun to be yoluminous. Adj
vertisements We're placed in the papers,
Agents Wanted" In order to be an
agent it was necessary that sample
cases containing books be purchased,
and membership fee paid. This gave
the agent the exclusive right to estab-
lish the library club in his home town.
The books were to be furnished the
agents at half price; and catalogs We're
printed. showing the names of the
books, what they cost the agents. and
how much they could be sold for. VIC
Tins came from far and near, both in
person and by mail They were work
ed for anywhere from $40 to So Fin
ally one of the agents became suspl-
cious because he didn't get his sample
case, which, inadvertently, had been
sent to st. Paul instead of Indepen-
dence. They would be along shortly.
but the agent didn't wait He reported
the matter to deputy United States
marshal at Dubuque, and the marshal
arrested the general manager. unfor-
tunately Maison took sick a few NOM
ents after his arrest, and Rev. Douglass
stood personally responsible for his
appearance. MaiSon skipped out during
the night, without even bidding the
pastor good bye or thanking him for
his hospitality, and went to Chicago,
where he joined the secretary OF the
publishing house." former Jones
county newspaper man and ex-conv1ct,
who was working the deal with Maison.
He was to answer the letters sent by
inquirers concerning references. Maison
always telling his victims not to take
his word, but write the secretary of
the publishing company himself. So
far as can be learned the secretary new
err hesitated In recommending him.
At II Again in Two Days.
.Marson hadn't been in Chicago two
days before he was at work again, this
time under the name of Maison. The
scheme differed but slightly, and his
second victim "squealled." A gov
eminent officer went to arrest him and
he jumped out of the window. He was
captured within a few days and taken
to Dubuque, where he was in Jail three
months before his trial. Judge Wolff
sentenced him to one year at Anamosa,
but because of Maison's eloquent plead
ing, on his own behalf, the judge cut
down the sentence to nine months, al
lowing him the three months he had
already been in Jail. When he was re-
committed Warden Hunter did not take
to him so kindly, and instead Of making
him principal of the prison school, gave
him job as principal of one section
OF the stone shed, where he pounded
rock for nine months.
"Marson. is one Of the smoothest men
in the business" says Mr.. Wall. They
don't make them any smoother, and
a few little penitentiary episodes do not
make any difference with him. l would
be willing to gamble anything l have
that he is working another game, prac-
ticaliy the same, this very minute, and
he isn't very far away, either. AT
independence, after he had left so sud-
denly it Is an actual fact that his
mail for two or three weeks brought
in between $500 and 500 week.
Maison, or Marson, is certainly as
nervy as they make them. as we'll as
being smooth One would naturally
think that man committed to the
under names so nearly
alike would not try to work towns in
the same state with the same names.
He does Toledo up brown, and comes
to Marshalltown, in an adjoining coun-
ty, and does the same thing. Takes
little side trip to Garwin, only a few
miles distant from Toledo, and in the
same county, and repeats the dose. In
Maison's Bible it probably reads the
graft that passeth all understanding"