Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-01
.GRAFI[RS GET $1,000
Webster City Man Gets Into a
Deal With Art Goods and
Artists
THEY PLAYED CLEVER GAME
Chicago Company Gave Him What
Appeared to Be Good Thing, but
He is Mourning the Loss Of His
Investment of $1ooo-LandIord Also
Mourns.
Special to Times-Republican.

Spec1al TO I1meS-RepuDncan.
| Webster City, May 1.-The return OF
a draft drawn by w. 8. Worthington Of
Company of Chicago, marked unpaid,
has brought to light what appears to
| be one of the biggest frauds that has
ever been worked in this section OF
Iowa. The return of this draft means
that Mr. Worthington is the loser Of
two months rent of the large store
room in the Syndicate block, occupied
by George j. Mauch with his art store,
and that Mr.. Mauch himself, stands
loser of a cool $1,000, or that sum less
the small art stock sent to him by the
Chicago company above named. The
graft was so smooth that anyone would
have been taken in by it. In fact, there
are two or three business men in this
city, who, when the Aronson company
chose Mr.. Mauch as their agent here
and gave him the full agency for six
surrounding states, felt disappointed to
think that they had not snapped up the
proposition before he did.
Mr.. Mauch opened up his art store
in this city the middle of last Febru-
airy. The place was to be a branch
distributing agency for the Aronson
company of Chicago and was to whole
sale goods only. Art pictures and
The agency in this city was to be the
distributing point for the following
states: Iowa, Minnesota, North
N01r ol~- "
kota.
The Aronson company had corre-
sponded with several business men OF
this city regarding the handling of the
proposition and after some of them had
manifested a disposition to look into
the matter, Mr.. Mauch accepted the
proposition. He was merely to act as
an agent for the Chicago concern.
They were to rent the room here and
pay all the expenses of putting out the
stock Mr.. Mauch was to receive a
salary of $125 per month and put
agents into all the states above named.
He himself was to be put to no expense
whatever in the matter except the pay
ment of $1,000 to the company which
was to buy the first stock to be sent to
him. This he did. The agent whom
the company had sent to the city,
rented a room, paid a month in adj
vance, had stationery printed and sent
the first stock to the city. Mr.. Mauch
opened the place Of business and went
at once to work to secure soliciting
agents in the states of his territory.
Beside his salary Of 1925 per month he
was also to have per cent commits
sion on all stock disposed Of by his
agents. Things went along smoothly
and not small quantity of the stock
was sold. The stock sent, however, had
been priced very high, and the $1,000
sent the company had probably paid
for it several times over.
Before having closed with Mr.. Mauch
the company had been in correspond
ence with other business men here.
One man who seemed to desire the
agency was invited to come to Chicago
to visit the company and learn more
fully of their plan. A letter written
to him stated that If he accepted the
agency for them they would pay half
of his railroad fare. 1t was also state
that in case they did not care to make
9 contract with him" they would pay
half Of the railroad fare anyway. The
man went in and found the Offices Of
the company. They were nicely fitted
up with desks, ETC., and he found there
all his previous correspondence on the,
subject, He was a bit wary, however.
and asked many questions. He was
about to close the deal when he hap
pened to ask one Of the representatives
of the company where they had their
branch houses. They seemed unable to
name any place where he might see the
stock carried by them and this caused
him to smell rat. He refused to close
the contract and asked them to refund
him half his railroad fare, as they hal
agreed to do.
I'VE will do Just as we agreed"
said the affable representative when he
asked fos this.
"Well, then give me the money,
don't want to take your agency" re-
sponded the Webster City man.
well, but we want you to take the
agency" stated the man, and the Web
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