The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-28
PUTS LIES SAYINGS
INTO OIL SWINDLE
French Governess Thought No
American Would Dupe Her
Out Of $4,000.
NOW SHE KNOWS BETTER
Powerful Friends Enable Her
to Regain $4,000 Before
She Sails for France.

A French soverness saved $1,000 dur
ing thirteen years Of steady employment
In the United States. Her work was
with children. In worldly afrairs abe
was herself child. Among her delu-
sions was belief that because Ameri-
cans had been personally kind to her and
mad gone to the assistance Of her country
they were above deceit,
She was going home this spring to see
her mother for the first time in thirteen
years She wanted to take suficient
money to carry the mother through her
remaining years and thought her savings
were not enough. Under the circum-
stances the governess was an easy mark
for smooth young gentleman who hap
pened along with the opportunity Of a
lifetime In the form of stock in an oil
company whose price was leaping
heavenward even as he talked. He got
her $500. every cent OF II, including a
$1,000 Liberty bond. She then discoy-
cred that her oil stock was as dead as n
last years tennis ball.
she Finds Powerful Friends.
Now this young Frenchwoman was
more fortunate than most of the thou
sands and thousands of others who have
fallen victim to the oil trickstera One
Of her employers had been a man who is
governor OF the New York Stock Ex-
change. No Stock Exchange broker had
had any part In the swindle, but there is
much that governor can do some
times In helping to right wrong out
side the exchange. He told the story to
the District Attorneys Office and sent the
governess there. The stock promoter
was then subpenaed. Partly in this way
but more because OF q thumbscrew ap-
piled in another quarter the promote,
agreed to make restitution, 30 far as
possible, OF all OF his profits in the trans
action. explaining that the money that
had gone to the oil company was beyond
his reach. His commission had amounted
to $4,000. In other words he, as the
promoter. had retained under agreement
with the oil company, two-thirds of the
receipts, all Of which tho governess had
supposed was to be used in developing
the magnificent property she had been
led to believe the company owned or
leased. The frightened promoter paid
her $1,000 in cash, returned the Liberty
bond and gave his notes for $2.s00. A
few days ago the governess sailed for
France with $4,000. to which her savings
have been reduced except for the notes
Of problematical value.
No better service can be rendered
otehrs who may be attracted by the
v,r ltCau NJ <.t Aal
letter which the Govcrnoss wrote before
any investigation was made to the man
who helped her to get part Of her money
back.
The Governess's Letter.
Hero 1t is, with only the proper names
omitted
New York. May II. 1919.
"My deorc
II do very much want to thank you
and tell you how much / appreciated
your and Mr.-'s kind attention in
my unhappy case. When I realize how
I have been a victim of that low man,
the mean and deceiving ways he used
to obtain my money. how he took ad-
vantage OF my ignorance of business, I
did not know how money could be lost
in such investment. besides the man
conviction of facts that certainly anyone
with knowledge might have been de-
ceived
AT the time the man asked me to in
vest my money he knew Of my intention
OF going to France this Spring 1t 10 for
that reason how he came to propose to
me to invest II. stating by the time
was to 60 to France all my money
would be doubled up and returned to
me In bank. To induce me to decide he
made use of all his capacity of lies
mot satisfied with over third OF the
amount I had given him, two months
after that. he insisted me to draw all
my money from the Pittsburg bank,
saying that the oil was going up, that
as he was taking such interest In nv
money II was a good change right now
using his wonderful influence and ex-
ample Of others through him.
still the money was not enough for
him to complete the sum he wanted; he
even took my Government Liberty
Bonds.
For over two months I called up the
man mostly every day asking him to
sell out. with promise of course on his
part that II would be done the next day
with always some kind of excuse. until
crazy with fear and doubts condided to
the - Bank. when the first truth
of his impossibility to sell came out
"Now the time has arrived 70 10. 7
have no more money, with very little
hope to get It back. All of my Is years
OF hard work and savings gone, beside
my own money. Just at the time my
long wished dream was to be realized to
see my parents.
at IL not 30 much the loss OF the
money. I am young and able to work.
But II is them over there who have
gone through such sufferings: my
mother at the present time Is sick and
begging for me to come at once.
$50. you may know Mr. how
gratefully feel toward you and
Mr. to have taken notice OF my
misfortune. had no intention at the
starting of this letter to give you so
much details as am not writing this
for sympathy"