The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-03-30
Nearly Two Hundred Recruits PIanked Down S10 in the
 Past Two Days
PUT IN S10 AND DRAW OUT
 $17.50 IS BAIT HELD OUT
Further Operation Is Prohibited Until Counsel Has Had Time to lnvesti- gate and Pass on Legality
 of the Scheme.

Mayor Ward yesterday ordered closed the office of the Ready Financial Relief Association" managed by Thomas J. Cox It is alleged that MT. Cox has been con ducting an endless chain get-rich-quiek scheme contrary to law.
 The concern was closed up pending an investigation by the City Council. It's workings came to be generally known only yesterday and created something of sensation on the street.
 MT. Cox has circulated extensively pamphlet outlining his plan, which bears prominently across it's face the words "Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1907, by Thomas J. Cox, in the office of the librarian of Congress at Washington" According to this pamphlet any person who can command $1O can easily earn independence and comfort, while lazy persons may double their cap ital once, twice or thrice each week To the indolent as well as the experienced this has seemed d practical cinch. The offices which, were opened up Thursday at 3S9 Hood building have been crowded with investors, and the stream has never ceased to swell.
 City Authorities Get Busy. When the city authorities heard of the business they immediately got busy on an Investigation A detective was sent around and had the whole thing explained to him. Assistant City Attorney J. Q. Smith then began a search for law on the subject but was unable to find any thing which would cover 1t. Evidently the scheme is so far ahead of the times that no provision has ever been made for prohibiting it. At first "debenture' was suspected, but it was soon found that the affair was more intricate than that.
 When called to the attention of Mayor Ward he ordered Chief Wier to close the place up until the City Council has time to decide on the question of issuing a l- eense. Detective Murphy undertook the commission and at o'clock last night he served the papers. The detective, as well as other city authorities, were of the opinion that the scheme was illegal.
 Outline of tf,~ Plan.
 The plan is simply this. When the sociation opened the first member to join paid $10 and received receipt He then went out, got another member or re- cruit, who paid s10 whereupon No. 1 re- ceived s17.5O eor his trouble. thus leaving s2.5o for MT Cox.
 No. ? went out and brought in recruit No 3, and so on down the line until, at closing last night there were nearly 200 members. Members were all numbered in numerical order as they joined, and as soon as there were twice as many mem- bers as any particular mans number he received his S17.50. For instance. No. 8 paid his $10. He then brought in a new member, and when the number of mem bers reached sixteen he received his divi- dend. Last night when Mayor Ward closed the shop all the members from 90 to 1SO were still without their dividends, as their numbers had not been doubled.
 Makes Money Rapidly.
 MT. Cox calls himself the trustee and has authority to take any steps he may deem necessary. As he was getting $2.5O from every two members he was clearing about s100 per day, and had the business lasted his earnings would have increased as the days passed. When the member ship reached 1000 he would have had S5O00 in money which he could invest as he saw it.
 The fact was evident, however chat as long as MT. Cox continued to do business, no one would have been the loser, but had he, after carrying the membership up into high figures, left town, the last half of the members would have been left in the lurch, minus their $l0.
 Attorney Leatherwood was the only man outside of the city officials to challenge the concern yesterday. He paid in $lO and afterward demaned its return. He is said to have pronounced the scheme un- businesslilSe and declared that he would prosecute.
 At any rate the business has been closed until the council takes action. Meanwhile Mir. Cox will resort to the courts, and the result will be watched with interest. The promoter comes here from the north. He is an old civil war veteran, but has q