Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-19
SCHEME TO BLEED
. CAR OWNERS CITED
William UIIman Refers to
evolves of Highway" Seek
ina GuIIibIe Victims.
Ullm.n. in American Motorist.

william Ullman. in American Motorist
Occasionally the law operates to
cloak rather than unmask the wolves
of the highway who seek in the auto
mobile owner gullible victim Some
ram, takes his courage in his hands.
turns. lowers his horns and runs full
tilt into his oppressor, bucking him
in the bullying entesis between the
left ventricle and the lower femur
metaphorically known as the money
bag.
The mature driver who has success
fully lodged the pitfalls of the bogus
starred authority Of the law, the am
bulance chaser. the sneak thief. the
fence and the frame-up can count
himself a postgraduate only when he
has added to his repertoire a scheme
which American Motorist has recently
found rampant.
An Example Is Given.
Take an exemplary case:
Mr.. r. w. Holmes Of Sc Munro place.
Winsted, Conn.,, is an eminently re-
spectacle citizen who finds a natural
delight in running an automobile in
which he and the members of his
family can take outings. He is a
casions takes trips Of such length as
to bring him into the confines Of
another state. Mr.. Holmes memory
Of trips is, fortunately. clear and the
point is an important one to renem-
Der in view of what transpires.
Around the middle of July this stall
wart citizen receives a printed form
from a firm OF New York lawyers
advising him that his machine has
been in a collision with an automobile
belonging to some one elSe-iets say
IN Orange to offer a contrast of Mr..
Holmes, supposedly green intelligence
and has caused damage for an un-
stated amount. The facts in the case.
the letter informs Mr.. Holmes, show
that he was at fault and it advises that
unless he takes the matter up either
directly or through the company by
which he is insured, legal action will
be instituted.
Now note-only the envelope is adj
dressed to Mr. Holmes. The printed
communication confines itself to the
UNIVERSAL "Dear Sir" Even the name
of the law firm is barren of signature,
the printed name being the only indi-
cation to the writer of the letter.
Mr.. Holmes Acts Promptly.
In addition to possessing a vivid
memory. Mr.. Holmes chances to be a
red-blooded American citizen. So, in
stead of bowling to the yoke of in
timidation and threatened legal ac-
ton he answers in his own vernacu-
lar. He remembers beyond dispute
that his machine has not been in
Orange on the date stated. say
April IA. having been stored for re-
pairs at the time. Nor can he recall
the mythical complainant whom he
collided with.
Mr.. Holmes calls attention to the
omission of date. address and sigma
ture on the letter and also the omis-
sion Of the year, state and other de-
tails which are usually regarded as
pertinent in any case which is to fur
nish concrete evidence in a court Of
law. Mr.. Holmes is uncharitable
enough to draw smile to "shyster
methods" and other unf1attering pro-
cedures. In summing up his letter he
might state:
1T only occurred to me how easy it
would be for any one to say that the
sheet (printed and without 'signature)
was a mere letter form and was filled
out by mistakenly some employe. OF
course, such a claim would never be
put forward by such a firm as yours. y
Shades Of Mahomet the prophet!
Within a week short, curt answer
comes:
I'VE regret that our form letter OF
the 9Th insta-. was forwarded to you
4
been sent to the owner of car No
14081 instead Of to yourself"
Mr.. Holmes has already given quail
! ncation of red blood and ,clear-cut
memory. He is also possessed Of in
| ordinate curiosity. The cat notwith-
standing, Mr.. Holmes allowed his Gu
] riosity latitude to ascertain the owner
| Of the mysterious car No. 14081.
Pursues the Quest.
Presupposing that Mr.. James Glib
bons of Ansonia, Conn.,, owns a Ford
touring car which bears the license
No. 140S1, and Mr.. Holmes has laid
the facts Of this totally hypothetical
case before him. it would naturally
be expected that Mr.. Gibbons was in
! some way connected with an automo-
bile collision. No law firm would be
50 unethical as to proceed In desul-
tory manner as outlined in these COM
| munications unless it had some def
mite facts to go on. And still, strange
! to relate, Mr.. Gibbons has this to say
when the facts Of the case are laid
before him:
II would say that my car has not
been in Orange for over year. and
have never had any auto trouble there
or elsewhere. It certainly looks like
Ia shyster case. If anything further is
| done in this case would be glad to