The Detroit times., 1910-12-31
FAMOUS SWINDLES
By FREDERIC J. HASKIN

and perhaps secure hundreu
plicants with their fees and then
part 10 new fields.
IL takes very clever person U
continue living I'm luxury Tor LOT
life aud keep up the appearance
wealtI, with nothing tangible 70 81.
port him. but there are a number o
such cases on record The greatest
swindle of this kind presented In the
twentieth century Is that OF Madame
Humbert. Some twenty years ago
an American. Robert Crawford Tell
in a fit at station in Paris. me
llumbert woman went TO his AID ann
he died shortly after. Then II was
reported that he had left her large
fortune A couple OF nephews ap-
peare on the scene TO corroDorate the
statement. They seemed to be veal
thy men travelling for pleasure ana
with their assistance, Madame Hum
bert was able TO secure credit for
large sums on the strength OF I
millions said TO be coming to he
She bought mansion in Paris, 81
Ing in payment promissory M
based upon the supposed millfoL
She bought country estate for $l0'
900 in the same way. This 81
nlortgaged for 100000 In reat
money. Similar transactions gave h.
the means she required and back {
her always were the reputed million:
soon TO become available. In twenty
years she secured at least $10000,0 900
lived in great luxury. and, at hei
death, left nothing but pile OF
fraudulent papers locked In her safe.
A man and his wife came to an
Ohio town, took well-furnished
house and joined prominent church.
He opened an account In q local
bank with $4,000, which he after
six months after gaining the con-
fidence Of business men and the bank
er, whose church he attended, he
went to the bank with a bundle OF
stock certificates. These amounted
To $4,000, according to list he fur
nlshed He asked the banker TO per
NIT him to deposit these, and aftei
slight examination the charge wa,
accepted and receipt given signe'
by the president OF the bank.
stock broker then accepted the bar 4
receipt for the list and sold the stos
for $6S,G00. its face value. He pa
over the money and the man and b
wife left town. The broker went
the bank for the stock certificate
which turned out to be bogus a
though the bank president had
cepted them as genuine. The cleve
swindler with $4,000 to start wit
had cleared $4,000 in less than
year.
Swindlers that appeal to the syn
pathies are always successful. la
various parts of the country a sic
engineer" or sick miner" swind
has been worked with good result
The tale Is told that the man was Ia
jured in a mine and that as q com
pensation he was given $4,000 {
more In mining stock He desires
sell this stock to realize the mono
' With the aid of q confederate -
dramatic fashion. many shares
sold In small sums to people
sympathies are aroused. These III
ing shares always turn out t&
II will be seen that the swint&'
is obliged to keep pace with IN.
times. Even in the rural distri, x
the telephone and multiplicity
newspapers have placed the farm,
so thoroughly in touch with the wor
at large that he is no longer easil
goldbricked. The bait offered mt ]
be alluring. Bohemian oats, far !
priced eggs, new brands OF clio,
seed and improved farm machine !
ure still being disposed of but thu
require more careful handling "
ten years ago The farmer Is III
most attracted by the in ,stm
likely to interest his friep reos
city as we'll 10