The Virginia enterprise., 1905-12-08
40 %! ,!
| STORIES OF
| THE FAKIRS
| ]. p. JOHNSTON
| Author of "Twenty Years of
| Hus'ling,' "What Happened
to Johnston Etc.
"a 81
"Horse Hay Fork" CRATER Imposes
on Country Farmers-Makes Big
Money-Ingeniouslly Devised Com
bination Contract and Promissory
Note-Tries the Game Once Too
Often.
A CLEVER DEFRAUDING NOTE

Note-Tries the Game Once Too
Often.
copyright, 1905. by Joseph B. Bowles)
When was engaged in the fire in.
surance business, at Clyde, O., hand
some welldressed young man, about
% years of age, came to the Nichols
house where l was stopping.
He was establishing agencies
among the farmers, for the sale of a
horse hay fork, to be used in the un-
loading of hay by means of a horse.
His method was to appoint farmers as
his sub-agents, and sell them each doz-
en- forks outright, for which, if neces-
sary, he would take their notes, payable
six months from date.
He spent three or four days recon
noitering before visiting the farmers.
but when he finally started out, he did
lively business. In order to make
his territory last longer, he allotted
usually one, never more than two.
townships to each agent.
He travelled with the finest carriage
and pair of horses which he could
procure in the town, and for several
days in succession reported the ap-
pointment Of one agent day, with the
sale to each of one dozen of the hay
forks. He had plenty of money, was
thoroughly up to date, very sociable,
and good mixer"
Very shortly, all the boys in town
were his friends, and soon many of
them were regretting having intro.
duced him into their set of girls, as his
curly locks, and winning ways, were
capturing them right and left.
How he could find so many farm
ers, all eager to buy dozen forks,
and give their notes with interest,
was problem hard to solve. How
ever, he seemed to have no trouble in
doing so.
When he had about so or 60 notes,
all due on the same date, he began
negotiating with the different money
loaners and note shavers in town.
AFTER disposing of $4,000 Or $4,000
worth, he suddenly left town, and no
doubt located for few weeks in some
other section.
AS soon as each farmer was notified
that his note for $3.50 and interest
was at the bank for collection, Wig.
orous protest was raised all over the
county. In every instance the dupes
declared that they had simply signed
a contract, acknowledging the deliv-
cry of one dozen forks and agreeing
to pay the agent 800 on December 1,
provided they had succeeded in selling
$3.50 worth of horse hay forks before
that date; otherwise, they were to
pay nothing, and the contract would
be null and void.
Of course they could not deny their
signatures, and when they were con-
fronted with plain promissory note
for $3.50, drawing seven per cent in
terest, and with clause, acknowl-
edging the delivery of the one dozen
forks as the consideration, they could
do nothing but pay the notes.
The manner in which the notes were
drawn, and their clean-cut appearance,
caused those who purchased them
from the CRATER to suspect nothing
irregular about them, and as it was
generally known that he was deliver
ing hay forks no inquiries were made
by the purchasers.
The following summer made trip
into Wood county, o., and called
upon a farmer relative whose home
Of
and whose farm of several acres was
very near the place.
The day following my arrival made
visit to Bowling Green, the county
seat and there l encountered our
horse hay fork man and made up my
mind to find out the method of his
graft.
I therefore made no reference to the
complaints of his victims in San
dusky county, but talked as though l
believed in him. l gave him the name
of my relative at Freeport and as
sured him that he was not only per-
fectly responsible financially, but
would be quite likely to take the
agency for his forks.
He asked whether l intended re-
manning with my uncle for any length
of time, and when told that I did not,
he agreed to go over to Freeport and
interview him, requesting me to
speak a good word for him.
On our way back to Freeport that
evening I explained matters to my
uncle and asked him to help me gel
on the inside of the scheme, which he
promised to do.
He was to let the CRATER make out
the contract, and after carelessly read
ing it over, to sign it, and then hesi
tate, pst it into his pocket and re
mark: "Hefore I give you this docu
ment, I want to have my lawyer lool
it over"
The neSt morning I went farther
west in the county, promising to re
turn in a week, when I hoped he woult
be in possession of what wanted.