The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-04
GOT THEIR Cash.
Kansas Old Soldiers Victims of
Bogus Pension Agent.
Sold Them Electric Belts at
500 Each.
MADE FAIR PROMISES.
Pledged Himself to Have Their
Pensions Raised.
[ADE FAIR PROMISES.
After Fleeing Many Sharper Is
Caught by Officers.

In Kansas at the present time are
half dozen men who are fleeing old
soldiers of thousands of dollars each
month on pension CRAFTS. Probably no
class of citizens in the state has suffer-
ed more at the hands of the takers
than has the old soldier. Yet their
grievances seldom get beyond the
bounds of the pension Office.
Only recently a man. was arrested
by federal officers in southern Kansas
charged with embezzling thousands of
dollars from Kansas and Oklahoma
veterans. His was one of the crudest
schemes ever tried on an unsuspecting
public. Yet it paid dividends beyond
the fairest hopes of an aginary gold
mine in the ocean.
Starting in northern Kansas more
than year ago, the man travelled
south through Kansas and Oklahoma
selling electric belts. The man car
ried a list of the old soldiers, their
widows and orphans. They were his
sole victims. At the home of each
wearer of the bronze button, the man
represented that he was a special pen
sion examiner. Deity the man learn
ed the war history of the old soldier.
Then he learned the size of his month
ly pension. Surely, he told the I'M
suspecting one, the pay was all too
small for the service he had rendered
his country He would Immediately
see that the pension was increased.
But it was necessary for the victim to
buy an electric belt. It would insure
longevity, happiness and contentment
of the government. Did the victim
fall He did.
From Mankato to Chetopa~ there is
q path of fleeced veterans who invest
ed 500 in an electric belt and are still
awaiting the increase in pension.
Cheerfully the man moved on to the
next county and the next He always
left a list of victims who aWOke too
late TO aid in catching the S11nnnSnd
pension agent. Not until the man again
attempted to carry on his operations in
this state, did a federal officer arrest
him near the southern Kansas line.
Only recently the government stop
ped the operations of a man who Sc
cured increase in pensions for the
modest sum of $25. Just how many
victims this man found in fiourishing
Kansas, the government will probably
never know.
Once caught on the pin hook of a
fakir, the old boys of 81 are slow to
admit that they were nipped. Alone
they usually suffer their loss and
sometimes forget to mention the loss
even to their life companions. For
this reason the operations among the
veterans has become a comparatively
easy one.
In the office of the. pension examiner
in Topeka are stories of a half dozen
en1bezzling schemes whereby the pen
Sioners of the state have each year
been victimized by slippery tongued,
mild hammered and smiling chap who
drew word picture sof increased pen
sions and greater reward for the ser
vices of half century ago. Notices
from the government to old soldiers
urging them to beware of confidence
men, pension examiners and alleged
federal officers, have not borne the
proper fruit. Usually these letters go
to the waste basket and the man with
the little bronze button falls for the
game Of the next CRATER who visits his
county.