Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-04-27
USES NEAT GAME
Stranger eouows Money at &c.
Oar Rapids on Anoth.
er's Land.
sWINBLEs A LEADING FIRM
Represents Property to Be His Own
and Gives Mortgage on it
For $500.

One Of the smoOthest games ever
worked in this country has just come
To light at Cedar Rapids. and while
every effort has been made TO land
the fellow who worked the game. not
even the slightest trace of him has
been found. and the probabilities are
that ne is hundreds of miles away
probably working the same game in
other parts of the country. AT any
rate the victims of the swindle have
given up all hopes of ever locating the
fellow and have decided TO charge the
amount 10 profit and loss and expert
ence. The game is rather similar to
one used last year at Clinton, Musca-
tine. and other places
How IL Was Worked.
1t was during the last days of Feb
ruary that a farmer looking fellow
called at the office of one of the lead
ing firms of the city that do consider
able business in loaning money on real
estate. both farms and city property.
He introduced himself as George II.
Waterbury, who lives in the north part
of the county. the owner of Go acres of
land. and said he desired to make a
loan of $500 on the same. He talked
knowingly of the land and of the peo-
pie living in the vicinity, said he was
widoWer. gave good and plausible
reasons for wishing to make the loan,
and as the loan was an exceptionally
good one. the firm said they thought
there would be no trouble in letting
him have the money providing he
would execute the proper mortgage
and furnish an abstract of title.
Fellow Was Prepared.
The fellow had prepared for just
such an emergency as this. for. previ-
Gus to visiting the firm TO negotiate
the foam he had visited a law firm,
gave them a description of the land,
spoke of the different persons who
had owned the land. talked very know
ingly about all the matters pertaining
thereto, and said he wished to employ
them TO see that a proper abstract OF
title was prepared and make an exam
nation of the same. This had been
done. and when the money loaning
firm mentioned this part of the trans
action. the fellow asked if the judg
IDcnI OF the law III III ICiSAtA'S ~ bAS
efficiency of the abstract would be sat
isfactory. He was assured that it.
would be. Accordingly the law firm
was called up by phone and interro-
gated relative TO the abstract.
The Loan is Made.
The law firm notified the firm loan
ing money that the abstract on 40
acres of land was all right. and that
the abstract on the balance of the land
was apparently good, but that it was
necessary TO secure a few afiidavits TO
complete it, The abstract contained
over 1870 entries. and as everything APP
peared to be all right. the fellow was
told that he would be advanced $3.50
and that the other $50 would be given
him as soon as the balance of the ABB
vast perfected. This was perfectly
satisfactory 10 the assumed Water
bury. Three checks aggregating $3.50
were handed to him after he had eX-
ecuted the mortgage.
Has the Checks Cnshed.
Going 10 the banks with the checks
he was unable 20 secure money on the
checks without identification. Going
10 the office of the law firm he showed
the checks to the attorney who had
looked after his business and said;
Come on. let US go down 70 the bank
and get the money. and / Will pay you