Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 May 1889 — A SHARP SWINDLING SCHEME. [ARTICLE]

A SHARP SWINDLING SCHEME.

A very shrewd attempt to swindle a prominent Carroll county man, and which was foiled only by the strong native honesty of the" intended victim, is thus described iu the Indianapolis Journal: Ten days ago, a fine looking man called at Jhe residence of Mr. Robert Fisher, a prominent resident of this county, and opened negotiations for the purchase of' his farm. He represented himself as a son-in-law of Moses Fowler, of Lafayette, and stated that he desired to purchase the farm for a widow of that place. He left after making some inquiries, and last Friday returned again, examined the farm and buildings carefully even- going into the cellar. The man Lis name as Graham. Ingoing to the north part of the farm, Graham proposed that they drive over in his buggy, which proposition was accepted. -They had gone but "a short dis-

tance, w hen they met a third party ou foot. The fellow was coarsely dressed, pretended to be silly, exhibited immense rolls of money _ andrda ted ilia the had been heathen out of 81,000 in Chicago with cards, but that he had the cards, and was going back to Tennessee, where he would “get even” by playing the trick on his neighbors. Hebhcn produced three cards and Graham won 800 in betting ho could turn tire right card. The fellow, in ; bis : serai-idiotic character. wanted to bet Graham and Mr. Fisher $5,000 that neither omt of them “muld q)ick--out bhe red card.” Graham retired with Mr. Fisher, and appeared to be .greatly excited, he said they might as well have that $5,000 as any one else, and suggested that he, Graham, could raise $2,500 of the $5,000. Mr. Fisher stated that his conscience would not permit him to use money secured in that way, and no persuasion could induce him to join rn the scheme. Graham took his confederate into his buggy and brought him to Delphi, telling Fisher that he would have him examined as to his mental condition and have the money deposited in one of the banks. The strange part about the whole thing is that Mr. Fisher did not suspect that the whole thing was a scheme to defraud him until several hours after it was all over But for his native honesty he would have lost $2,500. From the descriptions that have been given it is thought ’that Graham is none other than the notorious Dam Scribner, who, some time ago, worked a Wabash county farmer outofs6,ooo.