Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-04-26
AGED MAN IS HELD
ON CHEATING AND
SW|NDL|NC CHARGE

S. M. Patterson, seventy years DID,
who gave his address as % Houston
street, languished in the hospital
ward Of the Fulton Tower Saturday
night charged with having swindled
hundreds of victims out of thousands
Of dollars in what officers said was
one of the most unique and effective
bunco schemes that has been intro
duced to Atlanta.
William E. Eason an architect
with offices in the Forsyth building,
swore out the warrant. 1t charged
Patterson with cheating and swim
ding.
The aged defendant was dining in
a restaurant near the postoffice when
municipal court. took him in Gus
tody.
Eason and other alleged victims
declared to the officers that Patter-
son operated in Atlanta for more
than year and cleaned up" thou
sands of dollars. Yet they declared,
he rarely ever touched a firm or
individual for more. than 81 or its
equivalent in merchandise or gro
cerieS.
According to stories told the Off
GERS by Atlantians who claimed Pat
terson f1eeced them, the gray-haired
prisoner posed is the field repre-
sentative of a billion-dollar syndi-
cate of Philadelphia which was plan
ming to operate large mines in Geor-
gia. Apple orchards and huge COM
missaries were also to be operated
near the mines, he is said to have
told his intended victims.
Alleged Bunco Scheme.
Victims who visited the court
house Saturday described the con-
fidence game said to have been car
ried on by Patterson as follows:
Several hundred men were signed
as "employes" of the mining cor
poration" and assured they would be
put to work in "a few days" Incl
touched" for IS for long distance
telephone tolls to get his name
placed on the payroll
Wholesale grocers and food deal
ers were visited and questioned as
to their prices on various goods.
pany" would buy its commissary
supplies from them if their goods
were found satisfactory Samples of
practically everything in stock were
obtained, in addition to the usual Sc
telephone fee.
The officers said dozens of stores
were mulcted out of canned goods,
meats and other articles.
In order to make his activities ap-
pear bona fide, Patterson is said to
have ordered several trucks and
motor cars from Atlanta dealers "for
early delivery" The Stutz company
was holding five trucks for. his cor
poration at the time of his arrest,
it was stated. officers said Patter-
son told his victims he was going to
make his home here permanently.
He negotiated with a man named
Farmer to buy his home on Hopkins
street for $4,000, and Farmer was
packing up his goods in the eXpec-
tation of collecting the purchase
price and turning over the property
this week, it was said by the Of
fcers.
Denies Charges.
Patterson was smiling when news
paper reporters saw him at the tower
Saturday night He said he came to
Atlanta from Ridgeville, Pa, and
that he really represents an eastern
concern that is planning to expend
huge sums in this section.
MY bosses will be here Monday
and I will be eXonerated of these
charges" he said. IF you boys
will come back Monday I'll see that
you get good story"
The enfeebled prisoner, who said
he has had heart trouble for sew
eral years, vehemently denied that
he was a confidence man or had
worked fraud schemes here.
81 have defrauded no one--and
these charges about extorting money
from persons and firms are utterly
false. Just wait and see if I don't
prove it," he said.
Attorneys were engaged by Pat
terson Immediately after his arrest.
They announced a fight for his lib
erty would begin Monday.