Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 April 1912 — Returned Soldiers’ Photographs Which He Had Taken Away. [ARTICLE]

Returned Soldiers’ Photographs Which He Had Taken Away.

• Rice Porter, of whom B. E. Tomkins, the picture enlarging man, who used fraudulent means of securing orders from old soldiers, rented a horse and buggy to make his deliveries, has feeeived photographs of several told soldiers who refused to take the enlarged pictures. .Tomkins had refused to give up the small pictures while here unless the enlarged ones were taken and paid for. He evidently thought better of this, however, for he has returned the pictures and asked that they be given to their owners. He states that he will be back soon, but it is probable that he will never return to Rens selaer. The pension department has been made acquainted with his methods and he will probably he given an opportunity to explain his representations if he can be apprehended. Probably the most fraudulent thing that Tomkins did was to induce the signatures by making the victim believe that he was a solicitor from the pension office. In surrendering the signature after the enlarged picture was paid for, it is sajd that Tomkins has never surrendered the contract but just torn off the signature and returned it. There is naturally some wonder as to what the wording of the contract is. Tomkins’ methods are far from honorable and when he was pronounced a fraud and worse things by veterans who confronted him, he made a very weak defense of his methods and resorted to bluffs. When the pension office replies to the complaint registered with them, it is probable that an effort to locate Tomkins will be made.