The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-04-09
AN ALLEGED SN1LNDLE.
Seven Shenandoah Men Caught in
the AIgona SWindle-TWo or
Three Will Fight 1t in
Cou IT'S.

is the promoter of what is said to he
the greatest cheat since the Bohemian
oats swindle was perpetrated on Iowa
farmers some 10 years ago. At that
time agents appeared in every farming
district selling Bohemian oats, taking
notes payable in six months and Civ
ing bond to purchase like amount
of oats when raised at big price. The
notes passed into the hands of ''inno-
cent purchasers" and in due time the
fun began. The alleged bond was
worthless. Thousands of the farmers
paid the note and kept mum but some
resisted and the supreme court decided
in their favor-holding that the fraud
was so apparent that there could be no
such thing as an innocent purchaser of
the notes.
In the Algona scheme there are no
notes but an 'sarticle of agreement"
which has the force of note The
victim thinks he is taking the agency
for lot of stock medicines for which he
is to pay as he selsit. at the rate of 60
cents on the dollar. AT the end of
sixty days his eyes are opened to the
fact that be really bought the stuff aud
must pay full price for it, amount
to $50 $3.50, or 5000 as the case may be.
The victim squirms, refuses to pay, but
in many cases finally yields up the
money rather then be exposed or re-
garding it cheaper to pay then to be
dragged up to Algona to fight it.
We hear of seven men in this vicinity
who were caught in this. swindIe. Two
of them have employed W. P. Ferguson
to put up legal fight. These two are
K. l.. Miller in for $l5S. 40, and j w.
AnderZhon, of Pierce township, for
$l93 20. There are others and whole
lot at Farmer City, and they ought to
all join in engaging Mr.. Ferguson. The
expense of going to Algona, and then
carrying the case to the higher courts,
would be considerable, but it would WIN
in the end. No hope is there of wiz
ming at Algona. 1t is alleged that the
whole county is under the spell of the
schemer, he brings into the town half a
million dollars yearly; he gives employ
ment to large number of people; he
has one attorney who does little else
than look after the legal end of his bus
nd r,ctin Of hn
kept busy and make big money. He
does more to bring foreign money TO
Algona than all the other industries Of
the county put together. Mr.. Ferguson
could not get favorable verdict there
but he could get material for appeal.
There must be radical defect in our
state laws that makes it possible for a
fraud like this to drag men clear across
the state to defend in a Justices court.
1t is downright injustice which ought
to be remejied. Not long ago citizen
of Shenandoah was sued in a Justice s
court in Des Mones on barefaced
forgery. He was not able to go to Des
Moines and could not hire lawyer to
go. Had he been sued here he could
have made successful defense.
terday morning with papers summoning
the victims of this Algona deal to ap.
pear there and defend some time in
April.
The way this scheme is conducted is
as follows: The slick tongued canvasser
explains to the intended victim that he
is to act as agent to sell the stuff to his
neighbors, making lots of money.
Every sixty days a representative of
the concern would call and collect 80
per cent of the money received from
sales. Then he takes out blank arti-
Gle of agreement, fills it out and the
victim signs it in duplicate without giy.
ing it that careful scrutiny that be
ought. 1t is strange that intelligent
men will sign contracts with strangers
without careful examination when fraud
is. so rampant on every hand. The
press is continually warning people
never to sign contract presented by a
stranger, but they keep on doing it just
the same, as they blow out the gas and
pour gasoline on the fire from can
One of the Algona contracts has come
into our possession: Ii reads duplicate
| Agents Agreement, made and entered
into this 81 day Of October, A. D. 1902,
by and between ]. L. Sutton of Algona,
Iowa, party Of the first part, and .....
/, !, ; of Shenandoah, Iowa, of the sec.
ond part, witnesseth, that the party ol
the first part for and in consideration
of S5c per can for Suits hog worm ex.
terminator, SOC per package for Poultry
and Condition powders, 60c per can fol
Lice Killer, 60c per bottle for barb wire
liniment, 60c per bottle for Suits cal
i dehorner fluid, 60c bottle for Sutt'
lump jaw cure, Soc per sack for Suits