The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1911-09-16
A Wholesale SWlnDLE
PERHAPS $500 IN STARK


PERHAPS $50, 900 IN STARK
What appears to be gigantic swim
die has just been unearthed in Stark
and adjoining counties and it would not
be surprising if the amount our farmers
are asked to contribute to Minneapolis
grafters would total $50. 600.
The scheme was started in this local
ity some time in August and up to just
a few days ago one of the sly agents
of this swindle was operating in the
vicinity of Belield.
The graft in brief is this: A man
representing himself to be the author
lied agent of The Farmers General Ser
vice Co. of Minneapolis goes into the
country (never operates in cities and
townO with local man who can talk
Bohemian and German. singles out the
most responsible farmers and offers to
give them chest of medicine that will
cure about every known disease to
which man or beast is heir, and books
that will tell them just what to do so
that they will never need the services
of physician: he agrees to give them
law books, government land Office
instructions, in any language, so that
they will never need the advice of an
attorney or agent, etc. The man does
not want one cent of money, but the
farmers are to sign a contract and note
for $107.50 each. This makes them
member of The Farmers General Service
Co. for four years, brings the medicine
chest, books and papers to the nearest
railroad point. The farmers are also
shown books in which harness and all
farm supplies are quoted very low and
they are informed that The Farmers Gen.
eral Service Co. is organized to help
them and that by writing to the Mime
apolis Office they can get their goods or
any information at extremely low
prices.
In signing the contracts and notes it
appears that the unsuspecting farmer
agrees to make the reports weekly of the
action of the medicine upon members Of
his family or horses. These reports are
to be forwarded by registered mail and
of course not one man in hundred COM
plies with the agreement which he has
signed and which specifically states
that the farmer forfeits all his rights
in The Farmers General Service Co. if
he. fails Of reporting as per contract.
One farmer wrote for harness and
was advised that the price of leather
had advanced. Further Investigation
showed that Dickinson harness maker
could sell the harness at the same price
the F. G. S. Co. was asking and as the
farmer happened to be one of those kind
who like to see the goods before paying
the money, he bought in this city. A
victim in the vicinity of Belfeld was
told that he had forfeited his rights and
that he could not have any goods.
As near as can be learned about 20
AdIAICLS 1IOlll uOEtuWCSI VI DlChluSUu
have been grated on the swindle. Some
of them have already informed Secretary
J. P. Cain of the Merchants Association
and States Attorney 7. F. Murtha. In
the locality of Bel6eld Attorney H. E.
Haney estimates that 200 farmers have
been caught in the swindle.
It is learned that The Farmers General
Service Co. has already turned the
notes over to the Empire Realty Co. for
collection. The farmers who signed up
these fraudulent contracts have each
obligated themselves to pay $107. so
and the notes are made payable this
fall and were no doubt turned over to
the Empire Realty 70. to give them the
appearance of being placed in the hands
of innocent purchasers. In all proba-
bility the Empire Realty Co. is one and
the same as The Farmers General Ser
vice Go.
The farmers should rot pay these notes
obtained through fraud and if they will
band together and take immediate
action it is not believed that they can
be compelled to pay.