The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-01-10

ihe authorltes Is j dIMea. .

the authorities IA a diflcsF n
In the first place. where the o,ails
have been used, the victims are vide
ly scattered, and It IL difficult to kno"
who has been s~windled, and the gov
eminent must choose its witnesses
from those who happen TO make con'
plant. These Witnesses are scattered
from Maine 10 California. II Is Deces'
sary 10 bring them here for the pre-
liminary hearing, then for the grand
Jury session and one more for the
trial OF the case. Much labor and e1'
Dense are necessary.
Then, too, II Is necessary for he
attorney who draws the indictment
TO 20 through correspondence and the
various conversations with the great
est care in order that he may analyze
the scheme and determine exactly In
what the fraud consists. so that the
Indictment may be accurately drawn.
Then at the trial OF the case. the gov.
eminent Is, perhaps, confronted with
the fact that the scheme has been 30
cleycrly devised that direct intent To
defraud IL impossible Of proof. and re-
sort must be had TO circumstantlal
evidence.
The records show, however, that
| the government has very seldom lost
q case Of this kind. and that swindlers
and confidence men stand in the
greatest fear Of the federal authorities
because Of the yigOr of prosecution In
the past, IT the law could be amend
ed as above suggested, undoubtedly
the government gould be able to
reach and ~sppprass a large majority
Of the schemes TO defraud that are
now operated from this city,
ono Of the surprising things In
connection with this subject. Is the
| h:Cdulity Of the average person who
has saved a little money. and hopes
for large and immediate returns from
II. 1t seems thai there ID nothing 30
cxtravagant, SO improbable. that the
| people Will not believe II, II the stock
Of any company had any chance OF
| earning the dividends which these
promoters represent that It will, Of
course II would be subscribed and
| oyer.subscribed for at once by the big
moncycd men, and would not have to
be poddled around at absurd prices
often as low rs ten cents a share,
When this h suggested TO the promo.
ter, he always states that tho big
moneyed men are trying to get hold
| Of the stock, but that It Is not desired
that they should have 1t, because they
would then come into control of the
property; and the victim swallows the
explanation.
The awlndIer usually has a cOnfed'
crate to whom he refers the victim
who wishes to learn about hts stand.
Ing and integrity; and 1t seems the
victim rushes right to this conieder'
ate instead of going TO banks or busi'
ness men and making inquiries from
people upon whom ne could rely,
Every prospective purchaser should
stop aud ask himself the question:
why is this stock being peddled
around in this manner? Is 1t possible
that a good safe investment would be
40 handled when SO much money is
lying idle ready for good investments
in the hands of men who are compe-
tent to pass upon the safety of an
investment? Who are the men back
Of this scheme and what are their an
t%ecedents? At what banks, or at what
established business houses are they
! known as honest. conservative men OF
h%nsinessP'
or course, the swIndler has his
plausible answer to all these ques'
tons, and the victim hakes his explain
alton without making a thorough ad'
d%itional Investigation.
Copyright, w Joseph b Bowios)