The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-26
Thousands Appear to Have
Bought MounDay's Contracts
Believing They Were Getting
Into the Big Trust.
DUE TO SIMILARITY OF NAMES
People Showed a Remarkable
Anxiety to Invest.
In Kansas There Are Said to
Be 10000 Purchasers.

| That investors bought land COM
| tracts from Don y. NounDay under
| the belief that they were buying an
| interest in the real estate of the big
sugar trust, the American Sugar COM
pany, is the latest contention of the
| government in its criminal case
| against MounDay and his wife.
Don A. MounDay put into execution
an apparently clever idea when he
gave the Oklahoma and New Mexican
sugar companies the same name
especially when the name he adopted
for his corporations was one similar
| if not identical to that worn by the
big sugar trust which was for a time
under investigation by the government
for lodging duties at port. New evil
dence obtained by the government in
| its case against MounDay and his wife
on a charge of fraudulent use of the
mails, shows that on certain and sun
dry occasions he posed as one of the
men under fire in the sugar trust and
much as the public may hate the
trusts-the information ne conveyed
never proved hindrance in the sale
of land contracts.
Out in the state where people knew
nothing of the sugar trust except as
they read of the investigations in the
newspapers, MounDay posed a trust
magnate and his prominence in
creased, according to an affidavit
which has been obtained by the gcv-
ernment. 1t was just at the time when
the government was rushing it's in
spectors to New York to gain informa-
tion regarding the alleged frauds of
the sugar trust in lodging the pay
ment of duties that MounDay is said to
! have conceived his clever plan.
The Topeka man, according to the
government affidavit, frequently told
people that he was one of the men
interested in the big New York sugar
corporation. Then he followed up his
statement with the assertion that the
sugar trust, having organized a land
department., had placed him at its
head. Immediately the farmer or
! business man with whom MounDay
was talking, became interested. Surely
the trusts were an evil and a menace
to civilization-but here was a chance
to get in on the ground floor with the
big American sugar trust. And when
MounDay courteously offered to let
the victim in, there was a clamor for
standing room.
sold to 10000 Kansans.
In a statement made to a State Jour-
nal representative before the arrest or
MounDay and his wife by the govern
ment. A =. Quinton, as MounDays
attorney, stated that there were $4,000
persons in Kansas who had bought
contracts in the American Sugar Manu-
featuring & Refining company. The
statement was made by Quinton when
the State Jounal asked regarding the
similarity of the names of the two
MounDay corporations. For, in his
land selling project, MounDay in real
ity sold land contracts in an Okla
homa corporation, but was also inter-
ested in a New Mexican corporation
which bore the same name. No con-
tracts in the New Mexican company
were sold, but many prominent Kan
sans were interested in the New Mexi-
can deal and this fact aided MounDay
in disposing of large blocks of con-
tracts for the future deliverance OF
real estate by the Oklahoma company
There are 10000 people in kansas
who have bought contracts in the New
Mexican land from Mr.. MounDay,"
said Attorney Quinton, land about ev-
cry one of them has seen the land
personally and is satisfied with his
deal The New Mexican company does
not own land, had never owned land
and never advertised land for sale.
The Oklahoma company. which bears
the same name, has sold the contracts
through it's land department."
That statement was made several
days ago 1t was in itself a clear de-
tense of any charge of wrong doing on
the part of Topeka men who had be-
come interested in the sugar company
organized under the laws Of New Mex
leo and were later thrown into the tan
gle when trouble broke over the heads
of MounDay and his wife for their op-
erations under the Oklahoma law.
Yet the wide acquaintance and rep
utations of the men interested in the
New Mexican company made it COM
paratively easy for MounDay and his
agents to sell their contracts. 1t IS
claimed that a letter written by John
r. Mulvane, Topeka's well known bank
er. was used by MounDay in the sale
of land and brought signatures to many
contracts. 1t is also claimed, the Null
vane letter was written many months
ago as a complimentary letter as to the
character of Mrs. MounDay. Only the
initials al. D. w. MounDay'' were
given in the letter. And now, if the
(Continued on Page Two.)