The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1911-03-15
AGENT Of FAKE
COMPANY TRIES
SCHEME IN CITY
HE WAS DISCOVERED, HOWEVER,
BEFORE WORKING MANY OF
j.. The LOCAL MERCHANTS.
DR.. Ed. chiIes, Representing consoii-
dated Adjustment Company, of Chi
cago. Succeeded in LANDING One or
Two Concerns In City Yesterday.

Two Concerns In City Yesterday.
DR.. Ed. Chiles, smooth talker and
with a good appearance, has been
working" some of Brunswicks mer-
shants by a fake scheme which he
and his associates have been operat-
ing for many months, and although
their scheme has been discovered
and due notice given the merchants
by the Southern Merchant, a trade
publication Of Atlanta, still it seems
mat he has continued to operate in
this section of the country, and yes
Jerday he was in Brunswick but was
discovered before succeeding in fool.
ing very many Of the local me1
chants.
The adrOit doctor, it seems. las
made a good clean up of two or t3ree
towns He is connected with the
Consolidated Adjustment company, Of
Chicago, which seems to be a fake
organization. 1t seems that this con
cern agrees TO collect for merchants
any Lad accounts which they MAJ
have No matter who tie creditors
are they guarantee to collect the
money, Quite a large fee is charged
the merchant to become a member
of the so-called association before
they can place their accounts with
the company. Then they are also to
pay percentage for the collection
The Southern Merchant, in its ar
ticle, which was published some time
ago, devoted considerable space to
the fake company, giving the names
of all connected with it. In part it
says
''In the issue of August "a. tie
Southern Merchant warned the mer-
chants of the South against having
any dealings whatever with te Con-
solidated Adjustment comnanv. Of
Chicago, or their agents AT that time
we were unable to give the names,
or supposed names. of any men con
nected with this concern. Since then
1t has been learned that a man call
ing himself ]. Floyd Smith, boarding
at Hotel Main, Fort Smith, Ark, is
at the head Of this adjustment com
pany's business in that territory, and
they are reported to have done q
'Whirlwind' business. Mr.. Smith is
also said to be at the head of the
Commercial Underwriters Collection
system. This plan is understood to
be almost identical with that of the
American Fidelity company, incorpor-
ated, of Quincy, H., who onera te
very extensively IN tAat section. The
presumption is the Commercial I'm
derWriters' Collection system of Fort
Smith, Ark. will edo up" the south
while the Quincy concern hands the
lemon to TIE merchants of the west
DR. Ed C1lles is one Of the en-
ployes of the Mr.. ] Floyd Smith con
cern, and from all accounts he must
be "a most smooth talker." The
merchants of Americas Ga, are con.
sidered cOrsiderat II above ble aver
age. ard yet the adroit doctor made
a good cleanup of the town, select
ing the leading merchants as his vic.
llillo. lANIi Oi-IEu tOtii dtlS WIN
his fake company gave Aim splendid
material with which to done the mer-
chants OF other cities and towns in
Georgia and Alabama and the doc
tor was not slow to make the best
use possible of these SIGNATURES to
add others to his list of victims and
their signatures to contract helped
him secure still others in "the next
town The doctor is an expert in
working the endless chain" racket.
While this work was going on in
these states a man sailing under the
name Of l.. s. NanHenk, with head
Quarters in Gulfport was playing the
same game in Mississippi. J. G. Kill
bourne, with headquarters in Houston,
worked Texas. Each of these three
division department men are said to
have had a full corps of a'le 1ieuten-
ants, who are said to have kicked
themselves and each other if their
net share of tue weekly graft fell
under one hundrd and fifty dollars.
These lieutenants worked on 20 pc"
cent commission basis, and paid their
own expenses What must have been
the earnings(?) of those 'ihigher-up?"
1t does seem incredible that sucn
skin games as these could be worked
day after day, and year after year,
in civilized, enlightened country,
and yet they are. The above are
cold facts, and the Southern Mer-
chant is prepared to prove them"