The Washington times., 1906-08-18
GET-RlCH-QUlCK
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vaded the local field. The police say that
from letters and papers addressed 20
+. H. Taylor. the local agent. who mys-
teriouslv disappeared two weeks ago,
they gathered the impression that the
company made speciality OF "haTpOOn-
ing suckers and looking for easy
things. which the local agents found TO
be plentiful ia this city.
Among other letters found ia Mason s
possession last night, after he was
taken into custody, was the following
which was addressed 90 Taylor by
George Z. Graves. director OF agencies
OF the investment company.
Orders to Visit Cinches.
'IncIossd md list or people given me
by a man that has dealt with them and
says they are a 'cinch'
so go after them hard on stock Of
the new company.
Their names are. Miss Alice Swami.
1916 G. street, and her sister, Miss Lula
Swami. of the same address. and Mrs.
General Flagler and her sister, Mrs
Williams. living at the Dupont.
They are good for at least $4,000
each So hit hard. and see them before
/ get back 10 Washington, and I will
help you close them.
II mail YOU under separate cover !. .2))
blank bonds and a booklet on same.
Read II over and study 10 carefully
50 as 10 be thoroughly familiar with 81
when We start.
Z expect 10 be over early in the week
and see several parties whom I know
personally. and can induce 20 purchase
some of the stock"
Many Complaints Poured In.
A few hours after it was announced
gTr.s4
that F. II Taylor, who had charge Of
the local Office and employed Mason,
was missing and had been for two
weeks, many Washington persons, who
had invested considerable money on the
alleged bogus 5 per cent bonds sold by
the investment company, called al the
office of Inspector Boardman, chief OF
detectives and entered complaint, be
cause of the vast number or complain
ants INSPECTOR BOaTuman detailed De-
tectives Tlather and Pratt TO make an
investigation. which resulted in Mason s
arrest.
Plan Of Operation.
The scheme OF the company was for
the investors 90 pay 81 weekly for five
years, at the end of which time they
would have deposited s25O. In that time,
according TO the company Sl.56 would
have accrued. In addition 10 this, the
holders OF the bonds could surrender
them at any time and get back the
amount they had paid in plus interest
which had accumulated during the time
the money was in the companys hands
The books OF the company snow lHat
the local officials, either under ofuels
contained In the above letter or OF their
own accord made q speciality OF get
ting women 10 invest their money III the
worthless bonds. It is said that scores
Of persons made as many az twenty
weekly payment while others had peen
paving for periods ranging from one 70
Yesterday BENJAMIN T. Pope, Of 425
Riggs place northwest, NlSlIeu inspector
BOardmans office and asked that some
action be taken i'm the matter. lie stated
! that he had heard OF the lhVeslheuI
conuanv coHapsing early IN August
/ but that Notwithstanding lhat Iact
Mason had continued TO call at MS place
/ Of business and collect the weekly pay
menr Pope is a haTC-WoTklng Colore2
man and is employed IN a phu1og Il
establishment on F street. he said he
! had paid in SIS and Mason was 10 have
called today to get s. more. lie went
] 10 the Police Court and procured war
rant. which the detectives served on
/ Mason last night about ID CLOCK.
Received Enormous Commissions.
Escorted to Police Headquarters, Ma
+ son made the following statement; Il
was employed by Taylor 10 help collect
the weekly payments on the per cent
accumulative bonds of the investment
company. Ny salary was small, but
my commissions were large. / received
/ $40 a week plus 20 cents commission OF
! OF every dollar ! collected. made quite
/ a neat little sum each week by writing
luew business and getting my friends 70
/ purchase bonds.
| InsDecfor Poardman SAYS "a blind man
! could almost see that this IS a skin
/ game How on earth could company
] paw interest 10 the investors when the
/ collectors were supposed to turn in only
/ So per cent of the money they took in,
! ] am looking for a number of new call
/ ers. who will probably make complaint
! q bo1It tbe conpanv'S methods, and addi-
/ tionaI charges will be placed against the
men who collected the money.
| Masou's bond was HNed by Assistant
/ pistr-icr ArfOrneys Jesse Atkins and
John Wyrick, who continued the case
until Thursday in order 70 get additiOna
4 ri