The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-04-28
LATE STYLES
IN GOLD BRICKS
Some of the Frauds Which Are Prsc-
ticed to Fleece the People in
Most Scientific
Way.
SOME ARE CLEVER
Real Estate Deals Are Fsyorites and
Never Fail to Prove Successful
For the Pro-
motors.
SOME ARE CLEVER

Goldbricking is still practiced, but
the style has changed. Where the
crooks used to inveigle some person
into an old cave, there produce an
Indian and a gold brick and sell a
piece Of rock for gold, now confidence
men and fakirs plat section of the
azure sky and sell town lots. The
fact is. gold-bricking Is as prevalent
as ever, but the crooks are becoming
more scientific. That is the opinion
of e. P. Boyle. inspector Of detectives
for Kansas City.
Within the past year two men pur-
chased 40 acres of land in Arkansas.
Their investment was on the basis
of 81 an acre. The land would have
made a splendid goat pasture, located
on top of one Of the Ozark noun
tains, 10 miles from the nearest rail-
road and unfit for cultivation. These
men, without surveying their tract.
made plat of 1t. advertised that it
was within short distance of a big
coal mine, was on a railroad and
eventually would be a big city. Their
literature was very alluring.
They went from town TO town and
on street corners they distributed
their literature They announced in
each town that so lots, no more, no
Jess, would be given away absolutely
free. The drawing of the lots was to
advertise the country. The public
couldn't lose-it was to get the lots
free. Here was an offer that listened
better than gold mine. Where did
these men make their money?
Every one OF the lots given away
meant that the person accepting
would have to pay for the title-a
mere bagatelle, Especially since the
land itself was obtained for nothing.
The men conducting the donation
parties employed justice of the
peace not far from their mountain
top, who looked after all the deeds.
The deeds were printed BY the thous.
and. He charged $3.50 for each trans
action. AS 50 lots were given away
each day this meant 1925. There
were approximately 1900 lots in the
tract, and when all were disposed of
it would mean clear profit of more
than $4,000. But about the time the
scheme got TO working fine something
happened The government learned
that the mails were being used to
defraud.
There are many credible companies
that buy up valuable land holdings in
Texas and western states and sell
them in a legitimate way. These re.
liable concerns suffer because OF the
crook. He will buy for dollar an
acre, perhaps, big track OF alkalf
land and advertise that with irriga-
ton it may be made veritable para
disc. Lawyers are hired to word the
advertisements alluringly, withou,
making the company liable for vio,at-
ing the postal laws. Gold-brickers
have greater fear OF the federal law
than that OF the state.
Gold-bricking in land Is only one of
the many modern methods. A Kan
sas City doctor not long ago adver-
tised an electric machine which was
an alleged cure for catarrh and deaf
ness. The advertisements stated that
the cure was free. All that was nee.
essary was for the patient to write
and medicine would be sent. Then
when the ailing person would write
the doctor would send blanks which
We're 10 be filled.
After getting full description OF
the disease--how long the patient had
been ailing, the number of times
other doctors had attempted 10 effect
cure-the doctor would write to
his prospective patient that mere med.
icine would not cure what YOU
need Is headcap,. the letters would
say. And If you will agree to take
my medicine for two months at IS a
month, will furnish this headcap. .
In this way the doctor hoped to avoid
contact with the postal laws. He was
surprised when arrest followed Be.