People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 July 1895 — Fleeced of Their Money. [ARTICLE]

Fleeced of Their Money.

Several weeks ago Charles Noble and Dewey Campbell, employees of the People’s Pilot, were each induced through the. alluring sophistry of an advertisement to send five dollars to the Wheelman’s Bicycle Company, 39 40 Loraine Building, Indinapolis, as first payment on a certain make of bicycle, which the advertisement said would be sold on monthly payments of $5. Answering their remittances reply was made that the wheel selected could not be obtained but that another make, of questionable reputation, would be sent them providing they would fill out certain blanks which were enclosed These blanks required the purchaser to be of legal age, be possessed of unincumbered realty, and other prop; erty, besides which it was required that surety be given equally solid financially. The boys discovered at once that it would be just as easy to “raise the wind” on their realty and rich backers as to pledge the earth for a wheel they did not want, so they at once returned the blanks and requested a return of their money. This was flatly refused. It was then remembered that previous to sending the money they had written for the blanks and had been informed that the first $5 00 must be sent, as a guarantee of good faith, before the blanks would be sent. This should have been sufficient to stamp the scheme as questionable, but the boys were “hot” for a wheel, and unsuspicious. But they were not to be held up or sand-bagged without a struggle and at once employed an able attorney to get their money back even if it took their summer’s wages. From the first flat refusal the “Company,” which by the way is evidently Ben L. Darrow, editor of the Wheelman’s Gazette, has offered to compromise by return $6 of the $lO, and by the plea of sickness managed to delay payment up to the present time. One thing is certain that Ben L. Darrow wHI pay back the money he so smoothly worked out of the boys or go out of business. The whole scheme appears to be the first $5 and to make the requirementimpossible to conform to, that the money may be forfeited. It is probable that many I victims could assist the postal authorities in placing this ap- ! parent swindler in duress vile 'for fraudulent use of the U. S. : mails. ■ The press of the state is requested to warn their readers of the fraud and those who have been swindled will be given valuable information by addressing, the editor of the People’s . Pilot.