Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-01-07
Smooth CRATER Takes Advant-
age of Advertising Done by
Library Concern
COLLECTED a LOT OF COIN
Many Prominent People of the City
Paid SIS Down With the Expectation
Of Receiving Valuable Set Of Books
Without Further cost-company
Making Search.
Special to Ttmes-Republican.

Special to Tfmes-Republican.
Fort Dodge, Jan. z. - One Of the
smoothest grafters that ever struck the
city has been operating his little game
day night made his getaway with a
pretty little roll Of the stuff. The fell
low worked the best people Of the
city, and took from them all the way
from five to ten dollars each. The dis
covery Of the graft was not made till
the day following his departure, when
the police were notified but there is
little prospect of their getting him.
About two weeks ago. many Of the
people of the city received contiden-
tial letters from the "Ridpath Library
Company" which were to the effect
that on the condition that they re-
commend their works to their friends
and furnish a written signed testi-
monial Of recommendation, similar to
enclosed samples, they would be given
ten complete volumes entirely free,
Enclosed with the circular letter was
a card for answer elf-addressed to
the company, and the persons were
requested to fill out and return this.
as an evidence of their acceptance of
the conditions imposed, when samples
would be submitted to them and later
full particulars would be given.
Many of the prominent people Of the
city returned the cards and awaited
results. 1t was the intention Of the
company, who were honest In their
offer, to send out agents to pluck the
benefits Of the advertising they had
thus done, but in the meantime, the
CRATER came in ahead Of the regular
men and reaped the harvest in graft
that was sown in honesty. He was
evidently familiar with the workings
of the company, and 1t is thought that
he has at some time been agent for
them as he had complete set of
samples showing both bindings and
specimen pages from the library. He
visited the men that had received
the cards and made the statement
that the company had full intention
to live up to their part Of the con-
tract, but they would for an additional
five dollars include a number of other
books, with the ten volumes already
bought, which would make the set
complete, ETC..
There were many of the smartest
and most up-to-date people Of the city
who took advantage of the wondrous
bargains offered by the smooth-tongu-
ed CRATER and in this way the roll
in his wallet waxed bigger and bigger.
He worked as long as he desired, when
he got up and out with all possible
haste, forgetting to leave his address
with either the people he fleeced or
the city authorities.
The day following the disappear
ance of the CRATER, the real agents
of the company happened along, but
they found that the early bird had
got the worm and flown, and it was
mighty poor, tho very interesting
scratching for them. Whenever they
dropped in they were met with the
same sad story about the man that
had preceded them, and they are up
against proposition that has utterly
ruined their business in this city.
They at once turned the matter over
to the police and the officials have
done all they could to locate the fell
low, but so far without avail.
1t was learned that he bought tic
ket to Carroll from Fort Dodge and
the authorities there as well as at
Omaha were wired a description Of
the smooth one, together with in
structions to pick him up If he puts
in an appearance.