The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-10-16
MILLIONAIRE IS -.
SOLD Q! GOLD |. BRICK
PAYS "INNocENT. OLD MINER"
,e2s,ooo FOR SIS WORTH
OF Brass.
CLEVER CONFIDENCE MEN. WIN
Clever Confidence Men Win Well
Acted Comedy Takes In Land Man
and His Son-Swindlers
- Leave No Clue.

Minneapolis, Oct, 14.-H. F. Chaffee,
millionaire Dakota landowner, presi-
dent of the Armenia & Sharon Land
Company, and heavily interested in
the John Miller Grain Company. Min
neapolis. paid sex, 0&00 in real money
to clever swindler who successfully
worked upon him the time-honored
gold brick trick. In return for the
small fortune, Mr.. Chaffee found him.
self the possessor of 80 pounds of yell
low metal, probably worth: about SIS.
The operators of the swindle were
John Armstrong" a gray-hared min
er and the owner of fictitious gold
mine of fabulous resources in old Mex.
leo, and wv. h. Harper" Philadelphia,
archaelogist Of wide repute and reli-
able assayer of precious metals, the
former occupying modest quarters at
the Beaufort hotel and the latter hold
ing forth in the finest suite of rooms
in the Rogers hosiery. -, '
Mr.. Chaffee met Armstrong three
days ago at Chaffee's home in Armenia,
N: D:.swhere the swindler told story
that he was in search of an uncle by
the name Of Chaffee.
Gold AZ Security.
He told of the two golden ingots,
worth $4,000 at any government
mint. which he held In two trunks in
Minneapolis, ready to be placed as
security for the $4,000 loan
Mr.. Chaffee was more than interest.
ed and agreed to accompany the min,
er to Minneapolis and look at the gold
His son. E.. W.: Chaffee, himself an
assayer, accompanied him on the trip
. Armstrong. producing an auger and
steel drill, bored several small holes
in each Of the yellow disks. The Chat
fees in the meantime scraped up the
metal shavings. =, ....s,
When q handful: Of these had been
secured, Armstrong placed them in an
envelope and the trio started out to
find competent assayer to compute
the purity of the gold.
At the store of J.B. Hudson & Son
jewellers. Armstrong went inside
alone. He joined the group in sew
eral minutes with a card bearing thu
names OF two assayers, who he sale
were highly recommended by this
arm. One was st. Paul man; but
the other, w. H. Harper, was located
1T the Rogers hotel. r., st
The party went there and, in an
river to card, Mr.. Harper sent dowr
word that, although he was rattle,
busy, he would see the gentlemen TO,
. few minutes, ... ~. e.
rs Applied 1.-The Acid Test:
Taking some nitric acid, which the
younger Mr.. Chaffee had thought i,
best to purchase In person. Mr.. ;TIar
per applied it to the metal shaving.
submitted to him. by Mr.. Armstrong
and after watching the action of thu
acid. pronounced the metal to be o.
the highest grade.
The next move was made at the Sc
eurity National bank where Mr.. Chat
fee cashed q personal check for. $25,
S00:- All three parties concerned Their
returned to. the. Beaufort, where the
money, Is crisp one thousand dolla,
bills. was handed over to Armstrong
- Took Dinner Together.
At the invitation OF Armstrong, eli
went to the Nicollet cafe for dinner
In the course Of the meal tho younge,
Chaffee, becoming suspicious. left thu
table and hurried to the Rogers hote
In search OF Mr.. Harper"
+ In answer to his anxious inquiries
at the desk, he learned that the, assay
81. cot wide repute" had checked gu,
Of the hotel . few minutes after thu
departure. Of the Chaffees earlier II
the evening. IA. ...
In the meantime. his father waited
for him. at the cafe. Finally Arm
strong said that he could remain ne
longer but. would return ii half al
hour. "a, -
f. That was the last seen of him, 70,
i've minutes later his effects wer,
moved from the Beaufort and the DO
lice have been unable to trace hin
since. 49,,