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

friends and neighbors at s15 each, and after they were sold he was to pay the | general agent $9O cash, S7.50 for each l-machine sold, and retain the balance for | himself.
 | In short the victim was made to be- | lieve that he had nothing to risk and ev- | erythng to gain, and by relating stories
 of the enormous business done by other | agents in various parts of the state, the | grafter finally made the farmer think he
 was on the straight road to fortune and had struck a bonanza.
 After securing the farmers consent to
 act as his agent in that vicinity the grafter would depart from the house, and the following day he would return and deliver F washing machines to his new agent. Then, pulling a contract out of his pocket, he would say to his victim:
 Now, my dear sir, all I shall require
 Is that you sign this contract, acknowl- edging the receipt of F washing ma chimes and agreeing to pay me or my representative 800 in cash after you have succeeded in selling them all otherwise you merely return the machines you have not sold and pay me $50 for each1one you have sold.' 6t The contract which he handed the far mer to sign was so worded that after it had been duly signed and witnessed, all the grafter had to do was to clip off a portion of the contract with pair of shears, and a regular promissory note for $1S0, payable six months after date, re- mained in his possession.
 After securing a number of these notes all due six months from date, the graft CT began negotiating with the different money lenders and note shavers in town, and after disposlng of several thousand dollars worth, suddenly left town and went to different locality to begin op- oil wi of victims.
 As soon as each farmer was notified that his note for $1SO was at the bank for collection a vigorous protest was raised all over the county.
 In every instance the dupes claimed that they had merely signed a contract acknowledging the delivery of one dozen washing machines and agreeing to pay the general agent S90 providing they sue ceeded in selling $1S0 worth of washing machines; otherwise they were to pay nothing and the contract was null and void.
 Of course none of them could deny his own signature, nor would he Attempt to, and when they were confronted with plain promissory note for SlS0, with in terest at 6 per cent. and also bearing clause acknowledging the delivery to them of one dozen machines as the con slderation, they could do nothing but pay the notes and stand the loss.
 The manner in which the notes were drawn and their clean-cut appearance caused those who purchased them from the grafter to suspect nothing irregular about them. and as he formed many ac quaintances about town and it was gen. erally known that he was delivering the washing machines to his farmer agents in dozen lots, there were no inquiries made for long while, and no hesitation was shown in purchasing the notes at fair discount, with the 6 per cent added.
 Finally one victim placed his case in the hands of a detective agency and they detailed one of their men to try to unravel the mystery of the promissory notes.
 The detective disguised himself as farmer and secured permission from the owner of a prosperous farm to represent the property as belonging to himself, in order to try to catch the grafter in a trap.
 The trick was successful for a few days later the grafter visited the farm, and tho detective, pretending to be the owner, and assuming all the manners of a typical farmer, allowed the grafter to explain his business. and then. when the contract was handed him to sign, he quickly read 1t over and, catching o1 to