The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1905-02-24
STRANGER HELD ON SUSPICION
OF "eRAFTING."
is AN ADVERTISING AGENT
Employs Men to Tack up Signs and
Distribute BiIls-AlIeged
Dupes Complain.

Pending results of inquiries making
into his case, William Ellsworth is
held prisoner by the police on sus-
picion of being CRATER" He was
arrested yesterday on the strength OF
complaints made to Officer Salisbury
that Ellsworth was attempting to de-
fraud them.
! The prisoner claims to be travelling
as agent for the K A. Chamberlain
Medicine company of Elkhart Ind,
and says he is authorized to employ
persons to tack up signs and distrib-
ute advertising matter for the con-
oern. AS proof of this he exhibits
blank receipts bearing the name OF
the company, but nothing else. His
manner of doing business and the way
In which he subsequently acted toward
| them aroused the suspicious of the
men who think they have been dupad.
Just when he arrived in the city is
not known, neither could it be ascer-
tajnea where he stopped, although he
gave the Cottage Inn as his address,
buc inquiry there by the police proved
him to be unknown at the hote,
How He Does 1t.
Whenever Ellsworth appoints ali
hn Ji13cN
Of advertising matter, to be sent in a
trunk or suit case, according to the
quantity contracted for, and collects
various amounts from his appointees,
in advance, to pay for the trunk or
case, which is to become their prop
ertly. To some he issues receitps, in
duplicate, for the money paid keeping
one of the copies, while to others he
gives an ordinary blank receipt of the
printed kind to be bought at any book
store. Those issued in duplicate bear
the printed name OF the company
Ellsworth alleges, he represents.
The men he appointed here and the
amounts he received from uhen are
Harry M. Owens, SO; Robert F. Win
dell, $1.85; Warren S. Yates, $1.85.
After he had secured their money he
told so many conflicting stories TO
them that they grew suspicious and
complained to the police, resulting in
Titswcrths' arrest.
Appoints Many Agents.
Although the prisoner had no Gre
dentials showing him to be what he
represented himself, he was we'll sup
piled with memorandum books and
different kinds of papers. In one OF
the books appears long list of names
of persons from whom he received
money also crude account OF his earn
ings for different months, beginning
with October 3, last, to February l OF
this year. The average is small, show
ing that his business does not pay
him we'll, unless he has other sources
of revenue that do not appear in his
accounts.
The first entry indicating the APP
pointment of an agent is at M1sha-
waka, Ind, where he secured small
sum from a woman. Then follow en-
tries showing that he has operated in
Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska.
Wyoming and Montana Billings be-
ing the last place on the list.
Requested to Hold Him.
Sheridan, Parkman and other towns
on the line of the Burlington are
among the entries, and the police de-
: cided to telegraph to the sheriff of
: the first named place to ascertain II
anything was known there concerning
the man. This morning a dispatch
was received from c. J. Smith, sheriff
directing that Ellsworth be held until
; further investigation could be made.
{. The sheriff's telegram stated that he
would wire again this evening.