The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-20
CAME HIGH
Government Finds q New
Scheme in Wichita.
Dealer Alleged to Have Swim.
died Hundreds.

Fred Robertson, United States dis
trict attorney in Topeka, has just re-
ceived notice Of the arrest in Wichita
of Burr P. Hol1ingsworth, a cigar
dealer, against whom the postal au-
thorities have worked up one of the
most remarkable cases that in recent
months have involved the misuse OF
the United States mails.
Hoilingsworth, 1t is alleged, was the
author of a series of want advertise
ments asking for agents to handle ci-
CARS on an unusually attractive SAL
airy and commission plan, which
caught the money of inexperienced
persons in every part of the United
States. The case resulted from in
designations of numbers of commun-
ications addressed to postal authori-
ties complaining that Hollingsworth's
company, the Continental Cigar COM
pany, had defrauded agents out of
the SO deposit required when they
entered it's employ.
Inquiries made at the headquarters
Of a cigar manufacturing concern at
Red Lion, Pa, where Hollingsworth
got his cigars, showed that he had
purchased no less than 100000 CT
gars, packed in lots of a hundred or
SO in sample cases and sent direct to
agents. since September of last year.
In all, this company had delivered
something like half a million cigars
on Hollingsworth's order, nearly all
of them being put up as agents sam
pies.
The "stinger" in the Hollings-
worth contract, according to the
United States attorney, consisted in a
provision that the sample outfit fur
nished to the agent must be in as
good condition as when delivered to
him, in the event he desired to return
it and claim his deposit of $40. Not
a cigar might be missing or damaged.
The sample case must be untarnished.
Among his instructions to agents
were to always give the retailer a
cigar to smoke" The agent who did
this naturally couldn't return the cigar
with his sample case and consequently,
under his own contract, couldn't claim
the return of the ten dollar deposit.
which Hollingsworth's circulars ex-
planned was exacted Ito prevent con-
sumers from ordering for private use.' -
You never saw such cigars" de-
clared District Attorney Robertson.
Before they were lighted they had an
odor like musty hay. When one was
lighted it sputtered and threw out
fumes like a fire in Chinese boarding
house. We looked up some of the tes-
timonials from alleged successful
agents. Generally we found that while
some Of the cigars had actually been
sold the agent always got a hostile re-
ception when he went back.
But the whole case, believe, is
unique. Hollingsworth claimed that he
had modelled his business on that of
other concerns, but I believe there is
not another in the country like his. He
is a pioneer in this branch of the to-
bacco trade and he evidently has made
money at it. He drives one Of the
best automobiles in Wichita and lives
well. He has not been in Wichita more
than year and prior to that time lived
in Denver and Boulder, Colo. He prob
ably started his business there"
When arrested and put under 81, 900,
charged with using the mails to de-
fraud. Hollingsworth told the postal in
spectors that he had never consulted
lawyer about his business. He said
he thought 1t was up to the agent to
look out for himself. He held them