Grand Forks herald., 1917-03-05
WHOLESALE FOOD
SWlNDLE CAUSES
BIG SENSATION
German Woman and Daughter
Make "Dupes" of Investors
in Food Company.

Berlin. March 6.--(Correspondenc
Of the Associated Press )--Germany
now has its Cassie Chadwick. It's Nine.
Humbert case. The latest rival Of
these women Of International notori-
ETY. is Frau Meta Kupfer, an attrac-
tive widow of Al. with a capital CON
sisting Of plenty of nerve. an attrac-
tive daughter. plenty of good looks
herself. lavish hospitality in these
lean war times. and an unduly keen
insight into the gullibility and selfish
ness Of mankind, she had harvested
Just under three millions Of marks
up to the time Of her arrest and con-
fession.
Her plan of procedure was the old
old one-based on $50 percent Mill
er." She has been paying 12 per cent
with her. And each solitary investor
has put In his or her money in the
belief that 1t was going into whole
sale food business, and with the
knowledge that the enormous profits
must come from illegal methods and
at the expense Of the overcharged
public.
Therefore. Germany, finally awake
to the swindle, is inclined to have
more sympathy with Frau Kupfer,
now languishing in Jail, than in her
Investors" whose names have not
yet been made public, but who are
said to include wealthy though greedy
capitalists. men with we'll known
names, officers among them, all Of
whom are doing their best to keep
out Of the limelight.
Frau Kupfer began her operations
on q modest and apparently legitimate
scale when, a year and a half ago,
she moved to Berlin and began to
fN0 (e hA olr 4s< {o<a
foodstuffs. But the money did not
come In nearly as fast as the oppor-
tunities to get money from investors
who wanted to make big profits quick
ly, regardless at whose expense they
might come.
SO Frau Kupfer began to forge a
few bills Of lading and the few neces-
sary official looking seals and stamps
opened q more prctentious Office.
launched the business in her daugh-
ters name-since she was on the
fore not entitled to conduct a busi-
ness OF her own-and sat down to
wait for the money.
She represented to the would he in
vestors that her storage warehouses
for food were in city some 100 miles
from Berlin, and SO charmingly did
she recite the story. that no one
thought to verify the matter until re-
Gently an Investigator revealed the
whole swindle.
As the money poured in Frau Kup-
fer had to increase the number Of her
bank accounts. until she had six large
banks gladly accepting her deposits.
Gradually her own ways Of life chang
Cd. She rented q pretty though modest
apartment in west Berlin. where
she entertained the more favored Of
the investors. The daughter came in
handy, too, for her very great beauty
acted as quietus on all embarrassing
questions. all uncomfortable requests
FOR details.
Somehow. Frau Kupfer managed to
get not inconsiderable portion of the
food which was supposed to make up
ner business, for she nightly gave
banquets at which nothing was lack
Ing. The rest of Berlin might sigh for
butter or stand in line for potatoes
but she always had plenty and more
The entertainments were never so
noisy or populous AZ to enrage the
neighborhood, but they were long
drawn out affairs that often lasted
Rupfer always was at her office by
nine fresh and ready for anything.
whsther 1t be new investments. de-
mands for the return of old ones, or
the payment of the monthly 'Inter-
sst" She kept no books, but slowed
lway in her head all her financial
tsansa ctions. with the exception Of re-
eeipts- for payments. These have re-
vealed the Identity OF her financial
Iupports.
The eventual arrival Of the police
found her with her daughter and one
man. IN investor r-admirer. On tho
AAoln AZ the uolice came cradifors
Who wanted their money back. with
J sang froid and q nerve worthy Of o
DeGtW eAAoo shs made n a1DSlaAnont