Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1905-12-14

ASS bhs 0dAAe Once loo
often.
Copyright, 1905. by Joseph B. BowIes
When l was engaged in the fire in
surance business, at Clyde, o., a hand
some welldressed young man, about
. 20 years of age. came to the Nichols
mouse where was stopping.
He was establishing agencies
among the farmers, for the sale of J
horse hay fork, to be used in the un.
loading of hay by means of a horse
his method was to appoint farmers as
mis- sub-agents, and sell them each doz.
en- forks outright, for which. If ueces.
sary, he would take their notes pavablp
six months from date.
He spent three or four davs recon.
motoring before visiting the farmers
out Wnen he finally started out, he did
a lively business. In order to make
MS 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 a 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 a 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 a dozen forks.
and give their notes with interest.
was a 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, a Wig.
orous protest was raised all over the
county. In every instance the dupes
declared that they had simply signed
a contract, acknowledging the deiiv.
cry of one dozen forks and agreeing
to pay the agent 500 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.
tronted with a plain promissory note
for $3.50, drawing seven per cent. in.
terest, and with a 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 1 made, a trim
into Wood county, o., and called
upon farmer relative whose home
was at a small town, called Freeport,
and whose farm of several acres was
very near the place..
The day following my arrlvslI made
a visit to Bowling Green, the county |
seat, and there encountered our
horse hay fork man and made up my |
mind to find out the method of his
graft.
l therefore made no reference to the
complaints Of his victims in San.
dusky county, but talked as though / |
believed in him. 1 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 / intended re.
naming with my uncle for any length
OF time, and when told that did not,
he agreed 70 go over to Freeport and
interview him, requesting me to
speak good word for him.
On our way back TO Freeport that
efenlng I explained matters to my !
uncle and asked him to help me get
on the inside Of the scheme, which he
promised to 40.
He was to let the CRATER make out
the contract. and after carelessly read.
ing It over. 70 sign It. ana then hest.
tate, put It into his pocket and re-
mark; Before giRssyou this docu.
ment, want to have my lawyer look
1t over"
The next morning went farther
west in the county promising to re-
turn "a a week, when hoped ne would
bo In possession Of what / wanted