The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-11-29
How to Sif '.Sure Things
Crafty investment Swindlers Who Prey Upon the Creduy
of the Laborer to Defraud Him of His
Hard Earned Savings.
BY ROBERT 3. ARMSTRONG,
Former Assistant Secretary Of the Treasury.

The cleverneSS and boldncsS with
which the up-to-date investment swim.
dler plies his craft are almost incred.
ible. Wherever you find u fraudulent
investment scheme you will find both
gree--but the comparative proportion
OF one to the other is generally deter
mined by the element of time of opera.
tion.
For example, II the projectors of
scheme are old hands at the game and
have established records of the wrong
sort, then the idea Of quick results is
not only attractive but often impera-
tive. There are many "old offenders"
in the profession of investment swim
ding who have been convicted and
have done time in iails and peni-
tentiaries but have not yet learned to
prefer straight to crooked finance.
Men of this character realize that a
quick getaway" is a cardinal essen
tial of success; they must complete
the transaction and get In the harvest
before there is time for the public to
wake up and do any investigating.
Consequently, boldness is the big ele.
ment in operations of men of this
class. And, although they may be i'm
mensely clever, daring rather than
cunning will be the dominant char.
acteristic of their scheme.
The length to which the bolder spir.
It's in this class will go almost sur
passes credibility. Here is an example
OF the tricks to which they will resort
in order to create the impression of
having the backing of men or institu
tions of strength and character:
Through introduction by social
friends the local representative of an
investment scheme was able to open a
checking account with banking and
trust company In big city-a com
pany of SO high standing that It is
very widely known outside of financial
circles and among people of small
means. Its endorsement was worth
ready money" to any enterprise and
the fact was keenly appreciated by the
fiscal agents" Of the Brite & Fail
Bonanza company.
After the opening of his personal
checking account, the fiscal agent lost
no time In cultivating the acquaint
ance of the trust officer of the bank
| ing institution. which did very large
business in the discharge OF trusts
One day the depositor came to this. OF
| ficer and explained that he had very
simple little trust which he wished II
have executed. Finding 1t necessary
| 10 leave the city for few days ht
wished to provide for the delivery o
a sealed package, containing valuable
/ papers" to man whose name ant
personal description was given. Th'
| person to call for the package would
leave a certified check, In the amount
| Of 81, 900, which was to be placed L
| the credit of the fiscal agent" of thu
| Brite & Fair Bonanza company, whose
business connections were unknown
to the trust officers OF the bankln;
and trust company
| Weeks later the trust officer was as
| tonished to receive from an old per
| soual friend, who was knocking abou
| In the west, a circular OF the Brite
Fair Bonanza company, In which TIN
| big trust company was designated al
trustee" for the "B. & F." stocks
AS the friend who forwarded the cir
cular knew something of the wildca
nature of the Brite & Fair enterprise
his comments on the folly of thu
| H.
an edge on them. When the matte
was Investigated 1t was found tina
the whole plot had been carefully con
cocted and worked up to; that the cir
/, c,iiars had been printed and put In dI
rected envelopes ready for mailing Il
advance Of the placing Of the so-calle'
trust" aud that when the trust on
! Ger OF the solid financial Institution