The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-06-13
sWINDLED THE STAIRS.
They Gave Bogus Doctor Note for
Forty Dollars and he Skipped.

! Forty Dollars and he Skipped.
| A confidence man. giving the
name of F. busch, worked his
swindle successfully in Benton re-
Gently. Mr.. and Mrs. w. w,
Starr of the vicinity OF Inavale are
his victims to the amount of $40.
Whether others in Benton have
been similarly swindlei IS not
known.
| Dusch's method was unus ual.
He played himself off as a doctor,
able to cure all chronic diseases.
He claimed to be connected with
a Portland medical concern. He
called a month ago at the Starr
home and made the family believe
he could cure Mr.. Starr who is
badly afflicted with stomach trouble
On his assurances and promises,
note for $40. due in FIVE months
and signed by Mr. and Mrs Starr
was given the fraudulent medi
cine man In return. he gave them
a contract, signed IF. busch" in
which it was agreed that Mr.. Starr
was to be treated and cured of his
trouble. After securing the note,
busch left, saying that he would
send medicine within few days.
That was the last seen of him by
the Stars and up to a few days ago
no medicine had been received at
the home. It is supposed that the
note was sold by busch, possibly
to some one in Corvallis. The
STAIRS have not learned what the
swindler did with it.
busch worked the swindle on
May 14th. That was day or two
before the dog show and circus
was in Corvallis. He dropped in
to Corvallis, from whence nobody
knows. He hired a local livery
man to drive him out in the coun-
try They went to the Inavale
postofhce, and there the bogus
doctor inquired if there was any
one in the vicinity that was suf-
fering with chronic disease. He
was told that Mr.. Starr was suf-
ferer, and thither the healer went
At the Starr home he immediate
ly made his errand known, and
protested his ability to cure the
invalid. He talked very smoothly,
and those who listened came to be-
1ieve. He said Mr.. Cummings of
1 Linn county, was patient of his,
and that he was now nearly cured.
He diagnosed Mr.. Stars ma1ady
as catarrh of the stomach. This
in particular helped to satisfy the
family. for Mr.. Starts ai1ment fit
ted the hea1ers description of the
symptoms.
It took but short time to con-
clude the swindle. To help things
along, busch carried a case of sur
gical instruments, all of which
were significantly displayed. He
also brought out a printed form of
contract. purporting to be the reg
u1ar form in use by the St. Louis
Surgical and Medical Dispensary of
Portland, Oregon. When the
terms were agreed on, the blank
form was filled in, and busch sign
ed it, receiving in exchange the
note for $40, signed by Mr.. and
Mrs. Starr.
After concluding the business,
busch was driven back to Corval-
lis. Before leaving he told the
STAIRS he would probably cash the
note in Corvallis and inquired at
which place the family banking was
usually done. He was referred to
the Willamette Valley bank, but
Mrs Starr who was in town the
other day to look the matter up,
learned on inquiry that busch did
not cash the note there. On the
day of the circus. a son in the
Starr family saw busch at the Oc-
cidental, and talked with him.
The boy said his father was much
encouraged over the prospect of
being cured of his malady. = busch
replied that, that was nice. That
day the swindler left town.
busch is a rascal. It has been
learned that heis not connected with
the Portland establishment that he
claims to represent, though form
erly he was so engaged, He has
swindled people in various parts of
the Willamette Valley, and when
last heard of, was working his way
through the southern part of the
state towards California. A war
rant is out for him at Salem, where
he operated his game with more or
less success, It is possible that he
has other victims in Benton coun-
ty. The best way not to be swind-
led is never TO do business with
people who have to travel to get
business.