The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1911-03-24


IN cash, or exchange them for stock in
the Peoples Savings and Trust Com
pany, which he later organized Those
who sent in their certificates and ask
ed cash got in return an interim re-
ceipt. The cash does not come, and
the Banking Department of the State
of Missouri will not allow Lewis to
issue bank stock in exchange for
worthless stocks and notes, so that
he cannot keep his promise to issue
the stock, even if he were disposed to
do so. Of course he could turn the
cash into the bank and keep the Sc
curities as he promised to do, but no
one suspects Lewis capable of straight
cash transactions of that kind
The Readers Pool" is a PROPOSE
ton that seems involved in mystery.
Lewis gathered fund three years
ago to buy 48 acres of land at Uni
versity City for this fund. He an
nounced that he had enough to buy
the land, and then asked for more
money to improve it and for loan
fund to lend home builders Finally
he said no more certificates would be
issued, but no one knew whether the
land was bought or not, but certainly
the profits that were to be divided
semi-annually have not materiaIized.
Lewis refused to explain. Perhaps
Uncle Sam will find out. Lewis is
now very willing-anxious in fact
to exchange all these certificates,
bonds, notes, etc, for 10-year de-
bentures, but his victims are getting
tired of the exchange process, and
would now like little cash.
Lewis is evidently drunk with con-
ceit. That is the most charitable view
to take of his conduct. He has grown
impudent in his defiance of the postal
regulations. He not only daily VIC
lates the regulations, but actually pub
fishes the evidence of his transgres-
sions. His conduct amounts to a de-
fance of the United States Govern
ment. Not only this He has done
something more serious. He has in
volved over one hundred other pub
fishers in similar violations. Accord
ing to the postal regulations a paper
is not entitled to second class privi-
leges when premium inducements are
offered in excess of So per cent of
the subscription price, or when the
paper is regularly mailed gratuitously
to people who did not subscribe for
it. Lewis offers premiums which he
says are worth hundreds of dollars
with a dollar subscription, and fur
Their admits that 20 per cent of the
subscriptions sent him, are given
away free. These conditions apply
not only to his own paper, but also
to all the papers for which he is al
lowed to take subscriptions. But he
has not even stopped here. He now
boasts that a number of publishers
have allowed him to send them sub
scriptions on credit to the amount of
100000. If you did not read the
boast carefully you would think they
had made him a cash loan. 1t is
probably a gratuity granted in the
vain hope of putting off an inevitable
calamity. Surely no self-respecting
government could ignore such bold
defiance of the law in which it is it
self concerned. In his reckless and
conceited bravado Lewis has not only
invited but forced an inquiry of af-
fairs; and the publishers whom he
has involved may and probably will
find their records with him a matter
Of inquiry also. To be fair with the
publishers involved, we do not believe
they went into the scheme with any
intention of violating the postal laws,
and if they show proper contrition
now, we hope the Government will
be charitable with their error of the
past
When Lewis was tried on an in
dictment of fraud in connection with
the defunct United States Bank, he
escaped because u was not clear that
he intended to create scheme to de
fraud II was not denied that his vic
Tins had lost money He has devel-
oped many schemes since, and the
people have dropped money in all of
them, Perhaps he is smart enough to
continue the performance indefinitely,
but we doRbt it.
II is a matter of common knowl-
edge that the Post Office Depart
ment was never more successful than
during the past year in running down
promoters of fraudulent schemes
March IS, 1911.
Mr., ]. L, Davis,
Editor The Tribune,
Caldwell, Idaho.