The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1920-03-05
ADVERTISING II"
CLUB SLEUTHS
JAIL SHARPERS

~ EN ttINs shAA - AAA&NAAiNNs
use of advertising schemes by get
rlCh-Quiek" men are being run dowt
by the national vigilance committed
OF the Associated Advertising Clubs
OF the World, which keeps a corps o.
men at this work almost constantly
Richard II. Lee, special counsel 81
the committee. who supervises tn,
work, tells many stories of con,
fidence mon and the methods used
to combat and convict chem,
One man. he says, foraied u league
lof AUTOMOBILES users, The ieagu,
/ issued n price list of accessories, al
! quoted less than possible for the
manufacturer to make them. When
Il member ordered an article, an
lother was substituted and a circular
letter explained chat because of the
1great demand the factory was be-
hind in its orders. In some cases
the substitution was attributed to
the of the object desired.
'Fhe' substitute IA n cheap AFFAIR,
ranie for the head Of the league. but
the member was satisfied temper
ariIy at least, by tho explanation that
while its price was higher than that
or1ared, che league. wonld sell 1t to
him for the same sum.
This nran built uU a good reputa-
ton by means Of preferred" GUS
toners. whom Mr.. Zee described as
plants who innoeentiS furttiered
the designs of the swindler. A group
of these men was established i'm each
town where the league did business.
AS an mustration. Mr.. Lee cites
the case Of one of the most prom
inent surgeons in an Ohio city, who
was persuaded to join the league.
He bought a tire, which an agent
obtained from a local dealer at the
usual retail price, and then held
until the proper time had elapsed for
shipment from headquarters. The
doctor was delighted In q few days
the agent dropped around to see him
and asked how the tire was holding
up. On inspection the agent found
an imaginary flaw and, insisted upon
replacing the tire with a new ons--
also bought at the usual retail price.
He left the supposedly defective tire.
saying that the doctor could use II
as a spare" and refused further
payment.
'.If you really feel so grateful,
DOCTOR he said. ''wBiteetke Old Wan
a letter about it and tell him how
you feel
The letter was used for advertts.
ing purposes
Not me-, but many companies,
brought suit against. che league,
without success, for the defendant
would put his preferred" cus-
toners, all men of unquestioned
reputation. on the stand, and the
case world be dismissed.
This man reduced circular letter.
writing to a science. He dictated a
set of circular letters answering
every conceivable sort of question
pertaining to his business, indexed
than and then dismissed the greater
part of his clerical force.
Mr.. Lee told one amusing result.
A. customer complained that a drip.
pan was missing from a shipment.
The inexperienced girl who answered
the complaint looked up goods in
the index and followed it down until
she found the word lost" She then
sem out a circular letter saying that
the league always took the greatest
care to see that there was no short
age in shipments, and il the con-
signee would shake up the excelsior
in the bottom of the box" he I'M
doubtedly would find the missing
object.
After q years fight, the vigilance
committee obtained conviction, and
sent the head of the league to prison.
Another man formed a company,
o~stensibly to build tractors, using the
name Ford, for Henry Ford was at
that time said to be contemplating
marketing a tractor. The swindler
picked up a telephone book, ran
down the list of Fords until he found
q machinist. He called on this man
and told him that he had been highly
recommended and that he wanted
him to superintend the construction
of the first machine. The machinist
had an easy time at high pay for a
few weeks, dropping in on the head
of the company to make suggestions
once in a while. When tho first
tractor was nearing completion, the
swindler told him that his work had