Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-10-30
SWALLOWED A
GOLD BRICK
ROBERT FORBES, WHO MADE A
FORTUNE IN NEW MEXICO,
ROBBED ~ NEPHEW.

by NEPHEW.
Some days ago q brief telegraph,
dispatch brought the information tina
Robert Forbes OF Carbonate. Mo-, who
had made q fortune In New Mexico
mines. had bought d gold brick worth
fifteen cents for 5000. Many old,
time New Mexicans remember Forbes,
and a. he was uncommonly shrewd
wonder how he could have been so
badly bilked. The story. as told by
the Topeka State Journal. lis interest.
ing. It shows. too, that the racket
was SO cleverly worked that II Ii
scarcely to be wondered at that even
30 wise IN old gentleman as Robert
Forbes vas caught The journal cor.
respondent at Carbonate writes as
follows:
Robert Forbes. a wealthy citizen OF
this place, Is the victim OF a gold
brick swindle that cos him $1,000 in
cash.
About fifteen years ago Mr.. Forbes
went TO New Mexico. where he work.
cd In the mines. He located several
valuable claims. and ten years ago he
sold his holdings for $1s0,000 and re-
turned to osage county. He invested
his money In lands and securities and
Is rated as one OF the woaithiest citi.
zens OF the county.
Three weeks ago a young man APP
peared In Carhondaie. He was rough.
~ dressed and looked like a miner.
His face was with a growth
Of stubby beard. and his appearance
indicated that he had been working
hard.
The stranger hunted up Mr.. Forbes
and told him that he was his nephew.
Thomas Forbes, and that be had Just
returned from New Mexico. He spent
an hour talking Or people and places
with which the elder Forbes was "a.
miliar and convinced him that he was
in reality his nephew.
The young a proceeded TO tell
his uncle OF his great good fortune.
He said that he had discovered q mine
In New Mexico which rivaled the In.
dependent at Cripple Greek or the DO.
nanxa OF California. He said he was
prepared 10 prove that II was the
greatest proposition ever found, and
added that. while he had no stock 70
sell. he was willing TO give his uncle
an interest In the mine for $1,000. He
made this offer after he had sworn the
old gentleman 10 secrecy, and he con.
nded in him that he had a gold brick
ut Topeka which he had brought with
him from New Mexico. He said that
IL Mr.. Forbes cared 10 invest he would
leave the gold brick with him and
would return Il New Mexico and send
him another which he had secrctcd
there. He wanted the gold to be In
safe hands.
Robert Forbes knows something
about mining and mines. and the stor,
Of the young man had n genuine ring
He told him that he would go 10 To
peka with him. where the matter coult
be fixed up. Forbes and his supposet
nephew then came TO Topeka. Tn,
young man took him TO his room II
hotel where he showed him th'
brick. The old mans eyes ~glistenes
with satisfaction as he held the pre-
cicis metal In his hands. and the tw,
started for q jewelry store. The bricl
vas carried carefully concealed unde
the young mans coat On the way I,
the jewelry store the two men stoppc'
at q drug store and drank some sod
water. They there met another mai
who was talking Of his work as
chemist and xssayer, and TIL
nephew said that he had something
TO show him, and the three wen
behind the prescription case, wher
the supposed chemist examined tn
gold brick and appeared 10 make som
chemical tests. He then said:
why. sir. that is worth s5o,oot
Where did you get ~"
The nephew" said that he got III
brick In q New Mexican mine an
then the chemist proposed TO buy III
milne.
x- 49, .uw mas unn.nrsd A.