Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 140, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 December 1903 — Banker Piper Smoothly Swindled. [ARTICLE]

Banker Piper Smoothly Swindled.

W. O, Piper, tbe banker of Denver. Miami county, this state, and a former frequent visitor here, havlag once been the owner for a number of years of the farm northeast jf town, now owned by H, \V. Jackson, whs recently the victim of a very smooth swindle. A pan giving his name as D. K. Carter, representing, the alleged Valley Manufacturing Co , of Grand Rapids, Mich., came to Denver and claimed that he wanted to bnv a traot of land near t jwn, on whiob a big novelty factory was to be located forthwith, and on whioh also a large number of dwellings were to be erected for the workmen, tfot a cent of bonus was asked and even the site was to be bought and paid for. Mr. Piper owned 20 acres that just met the approval of Mr. Carter’s careful judgment, and it was bargained for at $l5O per aore. A written contract was drawn up and Carter was to pay Piper SSO to bind* the bargaia. He produced a sight draft for S2OO on the National City Bank of Grand Rapids, Mich., signed by the Valley Man’s Co. This he tendered to Mr. Piper who aooepted it and paid Carter the $l5O difference in cash. Not long afterwards Carter hiked out of town ou foot, and that was tbe last of Mr. Piper’s $l5O and also of Denver’s prospective manufacturing boom.