The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-31
FAMOUS SWINDLES
By FREDERIC J. lH4SkIN

and perhaps secure a hundred APP
plicants with their fees ana then de-
part To new fields.
Il takes very clever person TO
continue living in luxury for a long
life and keep up the appearance or
wealth with nothing tangible TO sup
port him, but there are "A number or
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. fell
in III at station in Paris. The
ilumbert woman went to his aid anc
he died shortly after. Then II was
reported that he had left her large
fortune. A couple OF nephews AZ.
peare on the scene to corroborate the
statement. They seemed to be veal
thy men travelling for pleasure and
With their assistance, Madame Hum
bert was able TO secure credit for
large sums on the strength OF the
millions said 10 be coming TO her.
She bought mansion I'm Paris. Civ
ing In payment promissory note
based upon the supposed millions.
She bought country estate for $l0O,-
EIortgaged for 100000 In ready
money Similar transactions gave her
the means she required and back OF
her always were the reputed millions
soon to become available In twenty
years she secured at least $4,000 900.
lived in great luxury. and, AT her
death, left nothing but pile OF
fraudulent papers locked in her safe.
Va fa IN
Ohio town, took well-furnished
house and Joined prominent church.
He opened an account in a local
bank with $4,000. which he after
wards increased 10 $4,000. Within
six months after gaining the con-
fdence of business men and the bank
err whose church he attended. he
went 10 the bank with a bundle of
stock certificates. These amounted
To SGS.000, according to a list he fur
nished. He asked the banker 10 per
nit him to deposit these. and after
| slight examination the charge was
accepted and receipt given signed
by the president of the bank. 1
stock broker then accepted the bank
receipt for the list and sold the stock
! for SOS, COO its face value He paid
/
wife left town. The broker went TO
the bank for the stock certificates
which turned out To be bogus al
though the bank president had ac-
cepted them as genuine. The clever
swindler with $4,000 to start with
had cleared $4,000 in less than
year
Swindlers that appeal to the sym.
! no oil nj In,
various parts OF the country sick
engineer" or sick miner" swindle
has been worked with good result.
The tale is told that the man was in
iured in mine and that as a com.
pensation he was given $4,000 or
more in mining stock. He desires to
sell this stock 10 realize the money.
With the aid of a confederate who
tells the story OF his injuries In q
dramatic fashion. many shares are
sold in small sums to people whose
sympathies are aroused. These min
ing shares always turn out to be
worthless
1t Will be seen that the swindler
is obliged to keep pace with the
times. Even in the rural districts
the telephone and multiplicity OF
newspapers have placed the farmer
So thoroughly in touch with the world
at large that he is no longer easily
gold-bricked. The bait offered must
be alluring. Bohemian oats, fancy
priced eggs new brands OF clover
seed and improved farm machinery
are still being disposed of but they
require more careful handling than
ten years ago The farmer is now
most attracted by the investment
likely to interest his friends in the
city as well