The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-02-22

Copyright. by Joseph B. Bowles)
Often the inference is drawn that
only the wage-worker, the unprotected
woman and the man without business
experience monopolize the space in the
swindlers' list of victims. This i'm
preston is far from warranted by the
facts. The truth, as gained from the
records of hundreds of swindles which
the federal, state and city authorities
have run to earth, is decidedly unfiat-
tering to the shrewdness Of the av-
erage business mantle merchant,
the manufacturer, the contractor and
the man who gains his livelihood by
barter and sale.
OF late the business man has re-
ceived special attention from the pro-
gressive and up-to-date swindler and
several special and adroit schemes
have been prepared to divorce him
from his money. An important feature
of several of these devices is an ele-
ment of potential blackmail introduced
for the purpose of silencing any victim
who may be inclined to put up fight
after he has parted with his money
and it becomes apparent to him that
he is to get nothing in return for his
Investment.
Hundreds of ambitious business men
throughout the country have been
caught in the snare of the swindler
who poses as capitalist with an
abundance of money with which to
finance manufacturing and merchan-
dizing enterprises. These sharpers,
claiming to furnish capital to business
concerns, get hold of their victims In
two ways: 1t is common practice for
men who wish to secure capital for an
enterprise to advertise to that effect
and in good faith. These advertise
ments are Immediately clipped and
answered by the fake capital-furnish-
ing concerns. The letter is craftily
and conservatively written and con-
tains the plain inference that the capt.
tai will not be forthcoming until the
proposition has been carefully sifted.
He is also told, in the original letter,
that a personal interview will be nee
essary and is invited to come to the
offices of the company. The other
method for getting in touch with pros
pective victims is for the concern al
leging to have the capital to advertise
to that effect. Those answering the
advertisement are also sent the same
letter already described. 1t should be
noted that the one thing insisted upon
in every letter is personal interview
in the Offices of the company.
When the man who is doing pros
| porous little manufacturing business
reads this letter he sees bright visions
of the future and hastens to the Office
loaded with the best arguments ant
evidences of the present and pros
pective success of his business which
he can muster. He generally finds the
| capitalist in a well-furnished office
He is taken out to luncheon or dinner
and is treated handsomely but con
servatively, for conservatism is thu
essence of the methods by which thi'
class of swindler works.
After the man who is looking TO
capital carefully explains the nature
and condition of business and of thu
field of it's operation he is CAREFUL.
questioned by the capitalist. The in
terrogations are shrewd and pointet
| and such as would be asked by a bank
err or the credit man of big mer
chandising house.
Finally the capitalist admits tina
the business has really remarkable
| prospects. and should be floated on
basis sufficient to provide for and in
sure the wonderful expansion of whicl
| it is capable. He then suggests tina
II could be readily bonded for figur
much beyond the amount of capita
asked by the manufacturer. The offe
Is then made by the capitalist that h
will agree to place the bonds to tina
amount on a commission basis, and d
so at once. There will be no troubl
about that, as he has man lookin
for just such an investment. The pa
pers are drawn up and the manufat
turer is correspondingly elated.
| Suddenly, in purely incidental way
the capitalist looks up from the blan
contract which he is filling out an
asks the name of the company whic
is to guarantee the bonds. The mani
facturer is astonished and asks an e,
PLANTATION. He is told that in thes
days bond which is not guarantee
has no chance whatever on the ma
ket; that this precaution is invariabl
demanded by the up-to-date bond pu
chaser. But" adds the capitalist, "yo
will have no difficulty on that scor'
There are half-dozen reliable qua
antee companies within block {
here which will be glad to act on g
substantial a proposition as your
There - the Impregnable in thi
building, the Invincible in the ne1
| A. n..,lorxso -, ho Dr.,