Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-16
THEY DO NOT GET NE
Experience is Only Thing Act
Far Victims.
TWO MEN ARE NOW MIS- NG
Leave Two Cities simultaneously
Taking Their Profits
WILL BE LONG REMEMBERED
Collected 81 or So In weekly Pay
ments and Filed on Day for
Last Payment.

Three hundred women in Omaha and
nearly two thousand women in Kansas city
have been swindled out OF from s. to 81
each. according 10 the story disclosed at
the local police station yesterday after
noon As a result Of the great get-rich-
quick scheme accomplished by William and
Gustav Greenbaum, a steady stream OF
the viotimized women, who are gradually
becoming aware Of their losses, Is daily
swarming upon room 81 IN the Karbach
block. where the men who worked the
swindle had their headquarters.
The Greenbaum brothers established the
United Garment company in Omaha about
three months ago. sending out men and
women solicitors in a thorough canvassing
campaign through the north end OF the
city They launched a skirt CLUB OF
enormous numerical proportions, enlisting
women as members, on the proposition
that the women pay 81 down and 20 cents
a week, taking a chance on getting a skirt
with each payment or surely getting ths
garment when 81 was paid.
work Two cities simultaneously.
Apparently the brothers started their
scheme in Kansas City about the same
time. for Gustav Greenbaum, who con-
Quoted the agency in the Missouri town,
disappeared from there Saturday at the
same time william Greenbaum deserted
the local headquarters. The women IN
both cities had reached the same stage IN
their aggregate amount OF installments'
and from all accounts we're all listed TO
get their skirts on the last payment Inc
brothers apparently had timed their
operations so that they were able to de-
part from the ken Of their patrons with
practically the entire possible subscriptions
OF the latter.
The Omaha police were notified OF the
swindle yesterday by Mrs. r. c. bineen
OF $40 South Twenty-third street ana sew
eraI neighbors, all OF whom had oeeh
duped. Oti'ers who later appeared at tho
I<arbach building and discovered their loss
were: Mira. II. S. Anthony, Twenty-ntth
and Indiana avenue; Mrs. l. c. Cole szl
souths twenty -eighth street and Mrs u
r. Qulnane, 2Si4 Seward street.
Jack Howarth was made assistant man
aEer OF the Omaha agency, and from him a
letter received yesterday reveals the iael
that the total number of victims here was
sOO Ha said the books showed that exact
number. Howarth, who had never been
aware that the concern was based on
swindlinR idea. and who in common with
the solicitors DeleNeu lhe Soihb1'y 'O'-'''
had an arrangement to get skirts from
Kansas lCity when the garments were
needed. was sent 10 Kansas City by VII
liam Greenbaum Saturday He was to take
charge OF the Missouri branch. Upon ar
riying there he discovered that Gustav
Greenbaum had deserted the agency with
all the funds.
Local Manager Declared Innocent.
Howarthis information concerning the
whole affair came in letter to the ele-
vator conductor at the Karbach block, in
which the deposed assistant manager ex-
pressed wonder over his experience. He ex-
planned that the Omaha women had paid In
the stipulated amount each and many had
paid additional installments, hoping to get
their skirts sooner. He added that several
OF the subscribers embarrassed the chief
official by paying over the entire 81 some
time before It was due, asking for the
skirts Immediately. In those instances, he
added, William Greenbaum had explained
that there was a garment makers strike
In progress In Kansas City and that It was
impossible to ffn the orders.
Apparently none of the solicitors or other
aid OF Greenbaum had the slightest mixing
at any time that the project was not thor
OuEhly open and above board. Howartn
expressed the BELIEF that the Greenbaums
had gops either to Chicago or some other
point in Illinois where he knew they had
connections