Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-05-22


Just why he signed the notes which
JAWS requested him TO execute Will
son hnds IT hard TO explain. Davis
oHeTed some plausible excuse. such
as readJustment OF loans. and the ex-
ecuuon or deeds Of trust. and other
/ terms which Wilson supposed were
all right and he readily did as Davis
| requested him 70 do The same Is
largely true in the case Of the Miller
notes. There is no evidence of any
intent TO do anything wrong on the
part of either OF these two men. The
h NJ. Austin whose name appears
TO some of the notes which Davis
gave as security for certain loans and
who was supposed to be a man de-
Velops TO be a woman who is en-
Ployed in the Agricultural Depart-
ment She declares all the notes cir
culated by Davis with her name at
tached to be forgeries
REPRESENTED AS CONTRACTORS
As for Owen. Wilson. and Miller.
each OF them represented by Davis to
be contractors engaged in erecting
apartments and dwellings AMI in buy
ing lumber and concrete. none Of
them ever was engaged I'm construct
ing houses, or ever purchased a stick
OF timber or foot Of concrete
Neither did they ever engage in any
business necessitating the borrowing
OF money from Davis for any pur-
pose.
That this fact was never discover
ed by those from whom Davis oh
/ Fuffv
when the credulity 81 the class OF
people who were his investors is con
sidered and Il is also remembered
that borrower" and investor were
never brought together. Davis repre-
sented that he invested the sums
which he obtained merely as a mat
ter OF friendship; IL was. In short.
apart from his regular business as
they understood t. Then. too, they
looked upon him as a gentleman OF
the highest moral character which
he was-aside from the fact that he
was a crook. and embezzler, a swind-
Ter, forger, and confidence man.
Alleged loans upon real estate
figure in some of Davis transactions.
ana there have been unearthed thus
far several instances where he has
recorded deeds OF trust which are alb
solutely worthless, for the reason
that they were executed by persons
who had no equity whatever in the
property. Davis transactions In this
respect show the crude and simple
methods which he sometimeS en-
ployed. as well as his villainy He
would take an unsuspecting and
confiding woman before n notary.
~ 4 no - n
her acknowledge signature 10 a deed
or trust. under representation that IL
was a legal document connected with
her investment, and the nature of
which she did not know or under
stand. Thus she would execute an in
strument conveying property in
which she had no interest whatso-
ever.
Then. in order to make a show
ing before another victim. he would
have the deed recorded and hold Il
as security for a clients loan. Such
documents Davis kept in a little tin
box IN his safe, where they were
ready for exhibition, when occasion
demanded; but always with the ad-
vice that they be allowed 10 remain
with him for safety.
EMPLOYED SEVERAL CLERKS.
Davis maintained suite OF three
ofiices in the Columbian building.
and there he had employed at differ
ent times two or three clerks. Ap-
parently the maintenance of the
offices was more for appearance sake
and to give show Of doing business
than anything else. for he never in
vested dollar. so far as can be
ascertained, and transacted no bust
ness except 10 fleece his victims.
What the clerks did Is more or less
OF a mystery. One OF them was the
daughter of Capt. Owen, whom Da-
Wis patronized extravagantly. visiting
her home and giving her little pres
ents and gratuities. thus helping 10
continue in good favor with her IA
Their
An examination of Davis SAFE
failed TO reveal anything of value
and. in fact. nothing but a few
worthless papers. II he ever kept any
books. they have either been hid
den or destroyed as no trace OF anv
ledgers has been found IL is believed
that he kept only a memorandum.
winch ne must have done in order
to furnish the statements which he
did from time to time TO those of
his clients who asked for them. or
to whom he believed a showing of
such business methods was neces-
sary in order TO keep their conf
dence.
Gradually Davis circle of friends
widened, as his investors reported TO
their acquaintance the profitable re-
suit OF their dealings with him. as
represented by the statements and
claims which he made to them.
particularly unfortunate case where
woman was induced through the
recommendation OF friends to place
all or her money in the hands OF Da-
VS. where she was assured OF large
returns. Is that OF the widow of DIR.