The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-27

to settle on the spot. Once more he ask ed for bottom figures.
 Well, I'll tell you what I'll do," said the grafter: 'Ill take $eo0O in cash and call the deal off"
 In case the laundryman says he can't afford to pay that much the grafter grad ually drops down to S5000, and If this price is still too high for his victim he will even come down as low as $2500, but never any lower than that. He generally succeeds in landing his victim for $5c00 cash.
 A certain gentleman to whom this grafter confided his scheme chanced to remark that he believed he could make the scheme legitimate and well-paTing one, by going into a large city and con- tracing with several different laundry firms to secure for each one from 5000 to 10000 contracts. and keep up the busi- ness in a business way; or he could find laundry concern with a large enough plant and sufficient capital to back the scheme, and they could all make big money out of 1t.
 The gratfer laughed, and said
 "Yes; I know that is true, because I struck one concern, stock company, which had several different laundries in the city and money and nerve enough to carry the scheme through, and I made money very fast, as did the canvassers and the laundry firm also.
 But" he added with a smile, there was no excitement in that-as 1t wasn't grafting!"
 He was asked how he could satisfy his canva ssers, who worked on commission, and who after the first or possibly the second days canvass in city, would be out of work because of his compromise with the laundryman. '.h, that's easyv' he replied. While 41 F1<,- ,,ztl,n laundry contract in new city they are all out canvassng under the management of my brother, handling a household arti- cle that goes like wild fire, and which keeps the mall busy. As I guaranteed each one a certain amount per week, and a good amount too, of course they are perfectly satisfied"
 This grafter works only the large cities and is liable to make his appearance in St. Louis at any time But as most of the local iaundries are in a combine, I doubt whether he would find this prof itable field.
 A very slick scheme for securing a farmers signature to a note was recent ly brought to light dowr in Texas through the arrest of the swindler. When he was aragned isl court for a preliminary hear ing more than 6 score of angry farmers appeared against him and told the judge they had been duped.
 The grafter was well-dressed man. about 40 years of age. and appeared to have a good education. He seemed to be well supplied with money, and, judg- ing from the bankbooks which were found in his possession, had a small-szed for tune os1 deposit in several different banks. showing conclusively that the graft must have been good in Texas.
 The scheme he employed was original and showed the greatest ingenuity on the part of It's inventor He was evil dently a man of uncommon shrewdness, and if he had devoted his talents to some honest pursuit might have won an enva- be name in the business world.
 He would go to some small town in the heart of a prosperous farming section and fter securing quarters at the hotel, would announce that he was handling washing machines for some firm in Chi cago and was visiting that locality for the purpose of appointing subagents to handle his machines on commission.
 Whether the firm he represented was aware of his crooked transactions or not l don't know, but at any rate they ship ped the washing machines to him in car load lots. and he was compelled to rent a vacant loft in which to store them until disposed of to his victims.
 Calling upon some well-to-do farmer, he would show him the washing machine, which was run by water power. and and which retailed for $15. He would tell the farmer that he wanted q representative in that locality and, after thoroughly demonstrating what the machine would do the grafter offered to appoint the farmer his agent and give him the exclu- sive right in certain territory.
 In order to clinch matters he would say that no money was expected or re- quired until after all the machines were sold and would offer to leave one dozen machines with the farmer on the follow ing condtions
 The farmer was to sell them to his