The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-10
IT DIDN'T WORK.
Clever Scheme fConfidence Men
Is Frustrated.
They Had Selected C. E. Gault
as Victim.
HE TOOK THE BAIT.
Employe Found Magazine Warn
ing in Nick of Time.
The Men Disappear After Being
Feasted at Clubs.
Il TOOK THE BAIT

a pair OF con men got cola rect just
in time to escape trouble Friday after
noon, and the two local attorneys who
were chosen as the lambs for sacrifice,
escaped with no loss except good din
ner each.
Friday morning a gentlemanly APP
pearing person dropped into the office
of Charles Gault, attorney at law. and
presented his card. According to the
pasteboard, the holder was. one Arthur
W. Hayes. lawyer, of II Broadway,
New York. He had the glad hand and
other indications OF being good fellow,
and he had also a proposition.
The case was simply this: He, MI
Hayes, was the administrator of large
estate, that of Helen Lawton, OF New
York city. no died rich and left all OF
her property TO charity-that is, nearly
all of it. A mere pittance, $500, had
been left to a scapegrace relative, Geo
J. Lawton, an actor. Mr.. Hayes Whiie
travelling to San Francisco in search OF
the youth, had miraculously run, across
the object of his search on the same
train, and they had dropped off at o.
peka to settle up. He had a check for
the amount which he desired 10 tdfn
over to the gaudy youth who was all
but disinherited, and desired that Mr..
Gault draw up the papers.
OF course Mr. Gault would draw UP
=
got Mr. George J. Lawton, youth OF
about 26. whose noisy raiment pro-
claimed him to be an actor Inen IhsS
decided that Mr.. Lawton should nave
legal representative III the trahsdG eioli'
and Harry Bone was called away from
his. ard11ous duties in the Federal build
ing to act for him.
The papers seemed to be correct and
an. alleged carbon copy OF a poftioii %
the Helen LAYTON will was exhipl llst
- sH1azs-
which were signed by the sporty youils
Beside the pitifulIy. small $500. it was
provided III the, paragraph OF the wiz
that young Layton should receive
mahogany hat-top desk or its cash
al,1,iT5sient After the other arrange
ments had been made, and Mr.. Bone
had gone back to his office the young
actor stated that h would prefer the
cash for the hat-top mahogany oesh' a.
he had no eaTthlE s1se Tor the hetI loo e.,I
Mr.. HAYES was agreeable, and was VIII
inc to abpraise It at S45. Lawton m
tinated that he was rather close TO IN, tne
Garnet. don't you know, and Would hhe
10 have the cash right now. MI ny IS s.
could give him9a draft or course. y ~
Gault could identity nm a. sl4 o. 49,.
Perhaps Mr.. fGault ieoula' Out SUM
thing in his manner seemed 10 warn lilE
vfol1l5-be erafters1 and the sup9eet y
the desk and It's cash eqnlNalelil Wa
droDDed like a hot poker me palI eoof4
Their departure fol Kansas CITY. ana
ao,,,,e5 II At the Federal building 10
fbspil Mr.. Bone very. effusively for his
TO 20 back. Early in the game the
noon hour had arrived. MI a5Auie
had taken the Broadway IdWyel - -. -
ToDeLa club. and Mr.. Bone had takeii
the scanegrace. actor to the fllks TOT
inch Each seemed to greatly ENJOY
The lunch. 1T So warmed the heart OF
.NIts HAYES that he handed Mr. e5dult
= check for 5000 as a fee for his sefN-
- =, +ae case. which was not yet
arranged. Later, when tney ere II
drawing up the papers, Attorney N.
r IaycOck, Who is IN tne once WIN
Attorney GauIt, observed an Ethiopian
among the kindli9gs, ana oy WlIeIess :
no+f6ed Mr. Gauit to break way and
ATTEND him privately in another room.
In this private apartment Mr.. Gault
found LaycOck strenuously paving
over a file of law magazines uhli ne
came to a supplementary front page
of yellow paper, on whlch was printed
in large type. 'sWARNINGt"
Under this caption came few re-
marks from the publishers of the jour
nal in which members OF the par
were warned to look OUT loI Two
smooth confidence men, an alleged
lawyer and an alleged heir, who had
successfully worked Wisconsin and
Nebraska attorneys for sums ranging
from SIS to 500 per victim
Perhaps when Mr.. Gault returned
to the consultation with his clients his
warm. friendly manner had somewhat
CONCEALED He is confident that he
forgot to keep up his running fire of
funny stories. but sat and regarded
his clients with cold. calculating
eye Hence the sudden chill which
attacked the pedal extremities of the
grafters.
Attorney Gault still has his fee
of 5000. and will run it into the bank
for collection. just for a joke.
The slippery, ones are described
Broadway; about 35, rather seedily
dressed for the executor sof a $780,
600 estate, but smooth and intelligent
in appearance.
Mr. George J. Lawton. scapegrace
relative, of Everywhere: aged about
%; frank open countenance. and
clear, childlike eyes, but showing
signs OF dissipation; gaudy, almost
noisy garments, and hippant manner.
The police were looking for the pair
/ last evening. but they were not in the
city.