The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-07
CONFIDENCE MEN
 ARE ROUNDED UP
 AFTER LONG CHASE
Unique Swindlers in Auto mobile Game Very Sue successful for Several
 Months
ey Associated Pre,,

New York March 6.-Ingenious use use of advertising schemes by get rich-quick'' men are being run down by the national vigilance committee of the Associated Advertising Clubs ot the World. which keeps a corps of ne en at this work almost constantly. Richard Fl. Lee. special counsel of the committee who supervises the work, tells many stories of confidence men and the methods used to combat and convict them.
 One man, he says. formed a lea que of automobile users. The league is~ sued a price list of accessories, all quoted less than possible for the man. ufacturer to make them. When mem her ordered an article. another was substituted and a circular letter ex- plained that because of the great de- mand- the factory was behind in It's orders. In some cases the substitution was attributed to the rareness of the object desired. The substitute was cheap affair. made for the head of the league. but the member was satisfied, temporarily at least bv the explana- . tion that while its price was higher i. than that ordereS re league would sell it to him for ss same sum.
 This man built up a good repv' \ m by means of ''preferredn customers. whom Mir Lee describes as plants who innocently furthered the designs Of the swindler. \ group of these men were established in each town where the league did business.
 As ah Illustration Mir Lee cites the case of one Of the most prominent surgeons in an ohio city who was per- shaded to ini-l the league He bought .a tire wh; .. ae ent obtained from 2 local dee VI the usual price. and ] then helA pntl the aroper time had oapsed for af irrleet from headquar- tr.t. 1.N. tA1 o fsw days the sssre aropped around to .oe him and as'- how the tire was oldingi up. cn 'nsnection the agent fcund an imagina V ] aw, and insisted upon replacing the Ere with new one--also bought at the usual retail price. He left the supposedly defective tire, saying that the doctor could use if as q spare" and refused further payment.
 'Tf you really feeA 70 grateful, doc OF, he said. write the old man a letter about it and rell him how you feel"
 The letter was used for advertising purposes.
 Not one. but many companies brought suit against the league. without sue cess. for the defendant would put his "preferred' customers. all men of un- questioned reputation, on the stand, and the case would be dismissed.
 This man reduced circular letter writing to a science. He dictated set of circular letters answering every conceivable sort of question pertain ing to his business indexed them and then dismissed the greater part of his clerical force.
 N Mr Lee told one amusing result. A customer complained that drip pan was missing for shipment The mex perienced girl who answered the com plaint looked up goods in the index and found it down until she found the word lost" She then sent out cir cular letter saying that the league al- ways took the greatest care to see that there was no shortage in shipments, and if the consignee would take up the excelsior in the bottom of the box he undoubtedly would find the missing object.
 After years fight, the Vigilance committee obtained conviction, and sent the head of the league to prison.
 Another man formed a company osS tensibly to build tractors, using the name Ford, for Henry Ford was at that time said to be contemplating mar keting a tractor. The swindler picked up telephone book. ran down the list of Fords until he found a machin- ist He called on this man and told