Mexico Missouri message., 1905-12-28

interested, and the next morning ar.
rangements would be in progress for
the loan.
To make It look easy to the farmer.
the land agent, after making inquiries
as to the farmers responsibility and
prospects. said: "Well. have the
money right here in my pocket"
Then he took out a roll of large
bills and let them all see Il.
by Jove!" remarked the book
agent, 81 wouldn't carry all that
money around with me under any cir
cumstances."
Nor l." the farmers wife would
probably say.
At last a blank note. which the book
agent just happens to nave in his pos
session, is filled out, making the
amount $1,000, due two years from
date, with interest at whatever they
have agreed upon.
While the farmer Is signing It, the
land agent takes clt Me roll OF money
and spreads It out In a pile He let's
it remain there, while he looks the
note over, and folds It ready to put
in his pocket
AT this juncture the book agent. who
has been carefully scrutlnizing the TOP
bill on the pile, grabs the note from
the land agents hand, and apparently
tears It to pieces.
You are a fraud" he cries out.
This Is counterfeit money, and you
shan't cheat this innocent man out OF
his note"
Instantly the land agent grabs the
pile of money. and thrusting it into
his pocket, jumps to his feet, and
makes as il to attack the book man,
who stuffs the torn pieces of the note in
his mouth and chews them up.
OF course, the episode causes great
confusion and extreme hard feelings,
between book agent and land agent.
The latter expresses willingness to
allow any banker to examine the
money. The book man insists that tho
bill .A.ng on top of the pile is not gem
uine.
'All ask" the land agent says final
ly to the farmer, lis to convince YOU
that | am no swindler, and before |
leave the neighDorhood, and after our
smart friend here has gone, perhaps
we can do business. We will wait and
see."
The farmer would, of course, feel
very kindly toward the book agent for
his interest, even though he might
have been mistaken about the money.
The land agent now drives off and
the book agent remains with the farm
er. but with the latter's note of $4,000,
payable two years from date, in his
pocket. For instead of tearing and
chewing up the real note he had
cheWed up a fake note which he had
held in his hand during negotiations,
and which was quickly shifted for the
real note at the proper time.
This note, payable in two years, was
sent to the hacker in Chicago, who laid
it away until few days before it was
due. when it was sent to some bank
for collection, with accumulated in.
terest
When the farmer entered protest
through the bank, the hacker simply
said: Il know nothing about the mat
ter; all want is my money. took
the note in good faith, and unless the
mans signature can be proven a forg-
cry (Which of course it could not), he
must pay If he is worth it, and | guess
he is"
few weeks before the note came
due the hacker took pains to get
a special report, through the mer-
camille agencies, as to the farmers
financial credit standing.
That all reports and communications
were carefully kept on file, could be
used as evidence of the cautiousness,
good faith and businesslike methods
of the Chicago man.
Making the note payable in two
years was a shrewd proposition, and
one that only a wealthy man could
have carried through,
The two years given on the note
enabled the grafters to turn other
tricks in the vicinity.
OF course the hacker furnished all
the cash necessary and after the notes
were collected and expenses deducted.
the money left was divided equally be-
tween the three