Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-02-29
|EN ABE AFTER
 EW}us SCHEMES |EfRICH-QUICks'' J 
,ce Committee Tells
 ''se Confidence Men 4 Stories

se Confidence Men
 Stories
 York, Feb. 28.-lngenious use
 rt;sing schemes by "get-rlch-
 nen are being ,':ln down by the
 Vigilance Committee of the ed Advertising Clubs of the
 ca;ch keeps a corps of men 1 K almost constantly. Rich snecial counsel of the
 se who supervises the work,
 ory stories of confidence men
 methods used to combat and
 them.
 omoble users. The league ls-
 price list of accessories, all
 less than possible for the
 acturer to make them. When
 her ordered an article, another
 Instituted and circular letter
 he'd that because of the great
 d the factory was behind in it's
 In some cases the substitu-
 Eas attributed to the rareness of
 biect desired. The substitute
 cheap affair, made for the head
 league, but the member was
 ed, temporarily at least, by the
 nation that while it's price was
 than that ordered, the league
 sell it to him for the same
 man built up a good reputa-
 by means of preferred custom
 whom MT. Lee describes as
 ts" who innocently furthered
 esigns of the swindler. A group
 ese men was established in each
 where the. league did business.
 an illustration, MT. Lee cites the
 of one of the most prominent eons in an Ohio city, who was laded to join the league. He Int tire, which an agent obtain rom local dealer at the usual price, and then held until the Ter time had elapsed for shipment headquarters. The doctor was Ehted. In few days the agent bped around to see hlm and asked the tire was holding up. On in tlon the agent found all imagin- flaw, and insisted upon replacing tire with new one+-also bought he usual retail price. He left the posedly defective tire, saying that doctor could use 1t as spare" refused further payment.
 If you really feel so grateful, doc he said, "write the old man a ter about it and tell him how you \"
 fhe letter was used for advertising kposes.
 Not one, but many companies, Pught suit against the league, with ! success, for the defendant would his "preferred" customers, all ' of unprecedented reputation, on tsta~ssand the case would be dis This Mss reduced circular letter iting to asscience. He dictated a of circular letters answering every nceivable sort of questions pertain , to his business, indeXed them and m dismissed the greater part of clerical force.
 MT. Lee. told one amusing result. customer complained that a drip n was missing from a shipment e inexperienced girl who answered COY 5Int looked up goods" in indeS and followed it down until found the word lost" She then It out a circular letter saying that league always took the greatest e to see that there was no short in shipments. and if the con- nee would shake up the excelsior the bottom of the box" he would ioubtedly find the missing object After years fight, the Vigilance obtained conviction, and t the head of the league to prison mother man formed a company os- slbly to build tractors, using the ne Ford, for Henry Ford was al t time said to be contemplating rketing a tractor. The swindlel ked up telephone book, ran down list of Fords until he found { chinist. He called on this man and him that he had been highly commended and that he wanted hin superintend the construction ot first machine. The machinist hae easy time at high pay for a few sks, dropping in on the head of the npany to make suggestions once il while. When the first tractor was ring completion, the swindler tolC that his work had been so valu. that it had been decided to name machine for him, and got him tt a paper admitting this use len this paper was signed, he soor appeared from the payroll, and tn, ok selling began. The Vigilance also obtained the convic n of this man.
 mother bogus company, formed i, ron, in the heart or the tire indus 7, sold its stock chiefly to people il t city, through the power of adver ng, although any one of the pur 'sers could have ascertained rha claims made were untrue by wis ig. the factory which was situate, ,hin 20 miles.
 WIT. Lee tells of visiting a man, no, prison, whom he describes as tn ahtry's foremost swindlers. H led Tor another international con 9Ace man" who had been associate, q the i,rst and learned that the. X passed to correspond.
 you know that he had for !U MT. Lee asked.
 no" could he, after the money ne from him?'' was the rcjoinde, i Lee still insisted, and the ma claimed:
 'Can It be possible that the fello, sn't on the level with me"