Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1917-10-18
GET
THEIR BUMPS
License Revoked on Evidence
to Defraud the Innocent
People of Alma.
MANY GOT WOOL" BLANKETS
Since Ii Has Been Found That the
Wool Was Cotton and Blankets
Cost Too Much.

a deputation of business men Wis
tied the council meeting Tuesday eve
ming following a visit to Alma of three
men selling "all wool" bankets for
SS, or two for $15, and the probabil-
tiles are that the visit of the business
men to the council will see the price
of licenses in this city raised consider
able at the next meeting of the
council.
The whole matter revolves around
the C. +. Adams company Of Sag
inaw, which, it is reported, has been
having agents here every few days
selling clocks, blankets. and what not.
1t seems that the c. f. Adams com
pany secured license to do business
here, and it is said that it secured
license for a year upon the represen-
tation to the city clerk that while men
would be here off and on, that no two
would be here at the same time. This
is the impression which the clerk
gained. it seems. and the company
was given a license
However, during the past week the
three men. said to be agents of this
company. have been in Alma hum
bugging the housewives of the city,
just as p. T. Barnum said that the
American people loved to be hum
bugged. Blankets, said not to con-
tain a particle of wool, were sold for
SS each. or two for Sl5, for cash or
upon the instalment plan. They
were presented in a number of cases
to be pure wool blankets. and in some
cases almost all wool blankets.
The matter was taken to the at
tention of the city council Tuesday
evening by a deputation of business
men who did not care to have a fraud
pu; over on the people of the city.
This deputation consisted of ID. w.
Robinson. j. c. Chick, George Maier,
y A. Gerhardt, L. ~ Baker. Chester
Benedict. Earl Clapp, Bert Eckert. J.
T. Converse and w. S. Proud.
The matter was put up to the coun-
ell squarely by the business men, who
asked for fair and square protec-
ton. seeing that it was to the bust
ness men of the city that everyone
went to when funds were needed for
any purpose.
Fraud being shown in the selling
of these blankets, the council immedi-
ately revoked the license of the Sagi-
nav concern. Late Tuesday the mat
ter was taken up with Chief of Police
Nibber, who went out and secured one
OF the peddIers. and he was arrested
for operating without a license He
pleaded guilty and paid fine Of SIG
and costs of S3.75. The man was
Alfred Unger.
Ii seems that one woman here in
Alma began TO suspect, after having
purchased a blanket. that she hai
been humbugged. She then took the
blanket to -. w. Robinson's store,
where it was compared. Upon thu
counters of that store she found a
blanket exactly the same in texture,
weave. color and weight which was
being sold for S5 and which was not
represented as an all wool blanket or
as n partly wool blanket. The woman
told her story to Mr. Robinson, and
this brought about the action which
took place later.
Time and again Alma people have
allowed themselves to be swi"d'ed by
smooth strangers. and as near as can
be discovered not resident of Alma
ever bought an article from pcddler
who did not pay larger price than
was being asked by the merchants
of the city.
1t should be remembered that the
merchants of Alma have their repu-
tations at stake when selling goods
to local people, whereas strangers
have nothing to lose. as they are fly
by-nighters, here today and gone to-
morrow.
The matter Of changing the ordi-
nance regarding peddlers is being
taken up by the city attorney and At
torney James G.. Kress, and il is eX-
pocted that a new, ordinance will be
laid before the council at the next
meeting, or that the present one will
be- amended. a license fee of SO for
house-to-house peddlers and S15 for
stands will probably be asked in the
new ordinance. or the amendment to
the present one.