Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-07-01
Indicted For Fraud
And Landed In Jail
Man Caught Charged With Swindling People
Out OF Thousands Of Dollars-Sold
Them Mining Stock

prepossessiong appearance, prosper
Gus looking and everything that would
cause an unsuspecting, honest, East
ern Shoreman to believe him solid
citizen and one hundred per cent.
square, languishcs in Snow Hill jail
for lack of someone to go on his bond
pending his trial in the Circuit Court
foh the alleged defrauding of
McsNs. John L. Mason and his son,
Ralph L. Mason, out of ten thousand
dollars \of the coin of Uncle Sam.
Benjamin was brought here from
Philadelphia by Sheriff W. o. Shock
ley and State Police Officer Topper.
He was secured through States At
torney kerbin obtaining requisition
papers from the Governor of Pennsyl
vania for his delivery over to the
Maryland authorities. When Sheriff
Shockley called on Chief of Detectives
Souder in Philadelphia and asked for
Ben jamin, he was informed that Ben
jamin was being held in the custody
of the Philadelphia authorities for
delivery to the first of the several
communities ready to take him away
legally. Sheriff Shockley took time
by the forelock, presented the requi
Sition papers, and received the osten-
tatious prisoner The officers hasten |
ed to the railroad station and took
their prisoner to Wilmington, Del,
where they waited for the next train
to Snow Hill and brought him here
Friday. He was indicted under two |
charges and his bond in each case
has been fixed by the Court at $4,000,
making total of $4,000. He has
kept the telegraph wires hot between
Snow Hill and Philadelphia begging
for bondsmen; so far, none has APP
peared. and the handsome debonair
"stock salesman" continues to Ian
guish behind prison bars.
w. A. Benjamin, in November, 1920,
sought the little town of Newark,
Worcester County, as a fertile field
in which to SOW some artistic and
beautifully autographed coal mine
stock certificates. He came in a big
car He wore good clothes and dia-
monds. His oily tongue rolled off
stories of opportunities for great
wealth in the concerns he represented.
He made cleaning up in Newark
some of her best citizens fell for him
to the extent of thousands of dollars.
OF the number were Messrs. John l..
and Ralph l.. Mason, and it is on
Benjamin's transactions with these
gentlemen that he was indicted for
fraud by the grand inquest of Wor-
cester County.
The coal mine scheme worked so
well and produced such abundant
wealth for Benjamin and his pals in
Philadelphia that he just could not
stay away from the good Newark
pickings: so he returned, but he was
not there alone.
II seems that one f. J. Portley
came down to Newark following the
mine transactions of Benjamin. He
came in all the pomp and panoply of
the rich promoter who had it in his
power to dispense riches to whom he
would. He endeavored to sell Mex
lean copper mining stock, but he
could not convince the good people
of Newark that -MoxieaR- copper stock
would make them rich, so Benjamin
again appeared upon the scene and
with his persuasive powers and IL
Eliminating arguments Mexican cop
per was soon going fine. Mr.. Ralph
Mason was to be made director of
the Company and was to be taken to
Mexico and initiated into the secrets
of the great copper mining corpor-
alton. The Newark people put up
their money and got beautiful stock
certificates in exchange therfor. Ben
jamin and Portley rode away in regal
splendor in their handsome. powerful
automobile.
But it was never convenient for
them to have Mr.. Mason to go to
Mexico, and in short while it
was learned that all of the stock
sold by Benjamin and Portley
was not as represented, and the good
people of Newark stood to lose all
they had Invested"
Benjamin and his pals are said to
be wanted in other communities for
perpetrating similar frauds, but Wor-
cestcr County will have the first
chance at them.