Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1922-02-13
CON men GET BIG
BANK ROLL FROM
ORL ANDO VISITOR
b. Cohen Touched Up
for Life Savings by
Trio
VICTIM SCORNS ADVICE
Banker Tries to Pur-
suade Him to Leave
Cash in Vaults aa.. ii
(By Associated Press)

(By Associated Press)
Orlando, Feb. 13.--Three confi-
dence men fleeced B. Cohen, of New
Kensington, Pa, out of $4,000 in
this city Thursday. The men were
trailed by Sheriff Karel. but escaped
shortly after Cohen had parted with
his life savings under promise of un-
told wealth through speculation on
the "stock exchange" .- -,r,-r
After mortgaging his home in
Pennsylvania and drawing the cash
from local bank, Cohen gave the
money to the men-1 200 ten-dollar
bills-he was to meet them in few
hours. They never appeared. Co.
hen doesn't thing they ever will.
Here is Cohen's story as it was
told to local authorities yesterday:
About two weeks ago he met a
man named Mcknight who said he
was wholesale grocer in Cleveland,
Ohio. Mcknight was gifted with a
magnetic personality and he and
Cohen became warm friends. One
evening they were sitting in Eola
park and Mcknight suggested they
walk down to Lake Lucern. The
two men were walking around Lu-
cerne circle when Cohen found a
pocketbook containing $3.50 in cash,
a "gold certificate" for 100000 and
ticket which entitled the holder to
membership in the international
Stock exchange"
Cohen was elated, but at that mo-
ment man approached crying out
that he had lost his wallet and was
ruined. Mcknight told the man,
who gave his name as William
Cousins, that my friend here has
found your wallet" Cousins was
overjoyed. He insisted that Cohen
keep the $3.50, but Mcknight has
tened to refuse for his friend. Cous-
ins said he was in great hurry to
get to the "stock exchange" and, aft
er some discussion, it was agreed
that he should invest the money
found in the wallet in Cohen's name.
It took Cousins just fifteen minutes :,
to return with $1,000 which Cohen
had won. 1t was then agreed to in
vest the entire amount and in short
time the third man appeared rep
resenting himself to be the manager
of the exchange. He told Cohen he b
had won 100000 and produced ii
package of bills but withheld pay
ment when he learned that neither Il
Cohen nor Mcknight would have
been able to meet the loss If the
market had turned against them. 4
Cohen was anxious to play the
game squarely. He offered to raise
$4,000 to invest. Mcknight prom II
ised to get $4,000. III
After that things moved swiftly. II
Cohen made flying strip to New "
kensington and mortgaged his dry
goods store. He returned with az
certified check for $4,000, on the u
Logan Trust company. But the
broker would not accept thei check.
He gave it to thes First Natsnal8
aank here ior collection sJudgea
Bland, president of the bank, told
lin it would be ten days before he
,ould check on the account, but CO.
len couldn't wait. He notified his
lome bank to wire the money there,
nut first at the instigation of Cous-
ms, he ordered the local bank to send
he check by express.
Meanwhile Cohen was shown the
louse where the market reports
we're heing received. The men
'ointed out H. = Beeman's residence
N Gore avenue, Mr.. Beeman was
Entertaining some friends on the
avn of his home and Cousins ext
'lained- to- Cohen that these persons
we're all playing the market"
Cohen's money reached the local
,ank Thursday afternoon and he
,pened an account there. Shortly
,efore the closing hour he returned
ind told Judge Bland he waretd to
withdraw the account, that he was
yeing to bay an orange grove The
(continued on page 81