The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-04-02
Benedict & Co. Finally Give up the
Ghost and Kenosha investors are
Left in the Lurch.
AN. APRIL FOOLS DAY JOKE.
Officers of the Turf Investing Company
Quietly Steal Away and no Trace of
Them can be Found by Creditors.

The 300 investors of Benedict & Co.
were treated to genuine April fool
joke this morning when they went to
the postoffice to receive the supposed
return Of the money they had invested
with the company. The old familiar
long envelopes did not arrive and the
words of Puddin' Head Wilson, sApril
| first is the day when we are reminded
what fools we are on every other day
IN the year." came beautifully into
| play as the sad-eyed men and women
turned away from the postoffice and
picked up the morning papers to read
of the flight of the officers of Benedict
& Co. and the closing of the South
| Bend Offices.
Benedict & Co. is indeed no more
and the men who formerly composed
the company are probably fortified be-
hind a roll of bank notes so large that
it will be i'm apostolic for any of the I'M
suspec'ing people of Kenosha to get at
them. Even W. L. Curtis, the former
bellboy, is safe out of South Bend,
and it is probable that he has funds
enough to take him far from home and
friends. 1t seems that the recent re-
duction in the weekly dividends Of
the firm was simply play to make
time and IN the two weeks gained in
this manner the arrangements for the
departure have been completed.
The end came yesterday morning
when Mrs. M. Keefe and F. E. Brown,
of Chicago, went to South Bend to
withdraw investments from the COM
pany. They called at the office of the
company but the doors were locked
and when they were opened the rooms
were found in confused condition and
the officials had fled from South Bend.
It is understood that the claims
against Benedict & Co. amount TO be-
tween $4,000 and 100000. The firm
is said to own nearly 100000 worth of
horses at Memphis.
Mrs. Keefe invested $500 with the
concern with the expectation Of re-
ceiving big returns. She recently sue
ceeded in securing S45 due her as divi-
dend, and came today after the
principal. Inquiry at their hotel
revealed the fact that all connected
with the company had left the city
Among the officers who left were
Miss A. M. Wooden, who registered as
A. M. Wooden, probably to give the
impression she was a man; w. L.
Curtis, r. L. Mobile, M. 1. Beck and
Miss Briggs, all of Chicago. Miss
Wooden was manager of the company,
Mr.. Curtis was the bookm aker, Mr..
Beck the attorney, and Miss Briggs
the bookkeeper.
The company has been running
slack for several days. The mails, it is
said, were being held by the postoffice
officials.
Benedict & Co was organized in
South Bend six years ago BY w. L.
Curtis, who was formerly porter in a
local sanitarium. He began operations
on small scale, and finally opened
Offices in downtown business block.
He soon saw that he could operate
better if nearer the Chicago tracks,
and moved to Chicago, where the firm
remained for some time. The firm
kept Offices opened in South Bend, D.
W. Mcnamara having charge of
affairs tire.
During the last month Chief of
Police McWeeny, of South Bend, has
received letters from all parts of the
country asking him to investigate and
learn why the company was not send
| ing dividends,
! The Kenosha investors were many
and the loss from this final break up
will amount to several thousand dol
lars. That the people of Kenosha are
suckers cannot be doubted for hundreds
of dollars poured into Benedict & Co.
since the recent failures in similar
concerns and the profits of the concern
must have been enormous. There is
little chance Of even a fight for the
money invested. The people will have
to pocket their losses with as much
grace as possible aud await possible
chance to get even later on.
Imported shirtings and waiStinps in