The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-02-18
CEMETERY LOT
RACKET STARTS
AGAIN IN EAST
Get Rich Quick Scheme
Sales In and Near Ohio
AbnormaIIy High.
By ROBERT S. BROWN
Times Special Writer

WASHINGTON, Feb. 10. - The
cemetery lot racket, which got much
publicity few years ago as a get
rich-quick scheme, again is back in
the news.
Sales of such lots appear to have
reached an abnormal high in Ohio
and bordering states, where sales
men have been accepting pass books
on closed financial institutions in
lieu of cash, promising 100 per cent
return on impounded funds to TIE
original holders.
State and county officials in Ohio
report that enough burial places
have been developed to inter all the
states dead in the next 200 years. ="
In Cleveland a special grand jury
indicted one operator on charges Of
obtaining money under false pre-
lenses. In Columbus the Better
Business Bureau is waging war on
the cemetery promotion.
Investigation Is Demanded
Growing out of the Ohio situation,
there has been demand for an
investigation by the Securities and
Exchange Commission to ascertain
whether the companies operating in
Ohio were violating Federal laws.
The mushroom development COM
panies in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Mary
land and the District of Columbia
early enlisted the aid of the Ma
tional Better Business Bureau" a
Washington organization headed by
Friedrich r. Berlin, in order to COM
bat the opposition of the Better
Business Bureaus of various cities
in which promotions were under
way.
Berlin, who has been identified
with the so-called National Board
of Trade and the International Bet
ter Business Bureau, has been or
dered to appear before postoff1ce
authorities Feb. 10 to show cause
why he should not be restrained in
use of the mails.
Interested in Promotion
Berlin is directly interested in a
cemetery promotion at Columbus,
where he recently led a counter
move on the Columbus Better Bust
ness Bureau by flooding the city
with 10000 reprints of a speech
made in Congress by former SEN
ator Smith w. Brookhart of Iowa,
attacking all Better Business Bu-
.reaus.
The Brookhart reprint was
franked under the name of Senator
LIN j. Frazier (R, N. d. SEN
ator Frazier explains that Berlin
paid for the printing and that the
request for the franking privilege
was made by Mr.. Brookhart. The
Senator said he would not permit
further use of his name.
In between cemetery lot promo
tons and other duties, Berlin stages
charity dances" in Washington.
The next event is scheduled this
month under the sponsorship of the
"Women's Auxiliary of the National
Board of Trade"
Many Lose Life Savings
The Cleveland Press, a Scripps-
Howard newspaper, revealed that
hundreds of persons have lost their
life savings in the cemetery racket.
One 75-year-old woman was sold al
most 1000 graves for her $4,000
worth of securities. A war veteran
was influenced to part with his pass
book, worth $4,000, i'll savings and
loan company. Even a blind man,
with an equity of $1,000 in an i'm
pounded savings account, was sold
16 graves.
The sales talk of the cemetery lot
statesmen varies with the prospect,
but the same general theme is fol-
lowed. The great and growing need
for burial lots makes investment
safe. they say. When the deed for
the lot is signed and delivered, the
promoters promise resale" for cash
profits within 60 days.
They do not mention, Ohio in
vestigators found, that old and we'll
established cemeteries can provide
all the necessary burial space needed
for years to come.