The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-29
CLEVER SW|NDLE
IS WORKED
Self-Styled Collection Agent AL
legged to Have Worked
BunkO Game.
SEVERAL MEMBERS OF
Y. NJ. G. A. ARE VICTIMS
Said TO Have Collected About
5000 on Bonds and
Left City.

Eight and possibly ten or more young
men, members of the Young Mems
Christian association. have been swindled
by a fellow member OF the association
to the extent Of about 5000. A. D. Rawls.
who left Salt Lake City suddenly Sun
day afternoon, Is alleged to be the
swndler.
Among those who have reported to the
police that they were bunkoed are G. A
Anderson; j. A; Fisher. w. j. Clyde.
rison and A. E. Cramas. At least four
other. members Of the w are known 10
have been 'stung," but so far they have
refused 10 give their names,
According to several Of the young men
s%indled, Rawls came to the local Y. M,
c. A. about q month ago from Denver,
where he was associated with the Peo-
teenth street. He took UP quarters In
the y. NJ, c. A. building here and opened
q branch of the Protective association.
Then. his victims aver, he advertised In
local newspapers that he was ready to
do business In his office. room 10. sec
ond floor, Y. M. c. A. building.
Rawls's Scheme
Rawls's proposition, il Is said was to
interest as many persons as he could in
a collection agency, getting them each
persons paying in the money becoming
associated with him In the business, and
to draw certain percentage Of all bills
collected. Rawls Is alleged to have in
formed his victims that he had contracts
to collect bills for number of tho lead
ing stores OF the city, among them being
Keith o Briens.
Rawls is said to have freely distributed
his business cards. which read
I'VE ask no advance fees. Our success
depends upon our ability to collect bad
debts, We collect strictly on a COM
mission basis. Collecting judgments and
outlawed accounts our specially"
Many Applications.
I. UP to early Monday afternoon Rawls
had thirty five applications TO become
members OF his protective association,
Most OF the applicants are said to have
been members OF the Young Mems Chris
tlan association,
As soon as the applications were
turned In. RawIs looked up the appli-
cants, it is said, and got as much money
out OF them as possible and at the Same
time told them of the easy money that
was sure to come in a short time. One
victim Of the swindle is said to have be-
come so interested In Rawls's PROPOSE
tion that he gave UP a s75 diamond ring
to become an active worker" in the
collection agency,
The police first were apprised of the
alleged swindle when young friend OF
Detective Earl Ripley called at the po-
he ee had sae been n and had saa found
out that Rawls did not represent Keith
O'Brien's in any collection schemes. as
he had announced
Rawls Leaves City.
/ The matter was Immediately placed in
the hands of Detectives Ripley and
George Cleveland, but before an investi-
cation was thoroughly commenced Rawls
had departed. taking everything he had
In his room. at the Y. M. c. a, with him.
Rawls left word with the boys at the
association building that he was going
to Pocatello and would return today. He
said he proposed to open another branch
Of the collection agency In the Idaho
able to locate Rawls. neither have they
learned that the Peoples Protective as
ISOLATION has It's headquarters in Den
yer, as RRwls said.
who paid a little. money into the fake
agency, said Monday night that he had
known Rawls In their home town, Moor
head City. n. c., and that he believed
ne was OF the opinion that Rawls would
return to Salt Lake City and make his
proposition good In every particular,
Secretary Wright IS Statement.
the local ~ Monday night said
tbn, t I here Eaye bcr out in
rooms. should be looked up thoroughly be-
building, This man Rawls seems to have
only temporarily. He did not have a Z.
M c. a. membership card, That's all
know about him. I did not have any
thing to do with him personally"
John Birrell, office secretary, said:
''Rawls did not sting the association
for cent. He paid his bills here. He
said he wanted TO join the association
and his name was up for membership
when. he left"
II Vas learned by detectives that Rawls
had taken exception to two members Of
him In his collection agency and had
given them their money back, When
Rawls left the city he placed one OF his
Victims, z. 3. Sauls. I'M charge OF his Of
fice. It Is said that Monday Mr., Sauls
had a stream of applicants calling at the
office all day.