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THE “ELECTRIC SUGAR” SWINDLE. 
The worst “ blind pool” swindle ever perpe¬ 
trated has just collapsed. It is known as the 
Electric Sugar Refining Company, and it has 
an office in this city, a “refinery” in Brook¬ 
lyn, and a branch in Liverpool, England. In 
1881-2 “Professor” Henry C. Friend, then 
about 40 years old, called upon several large 
sugar refiners in Chicago and New York, and 
tried to induce them to intest capital in a 
secret process, which he said he had discov¬ 
ered, for refining sugar by means of electricity 
at a nominal cost. He wanted them to get 
up a company with a large capital, which 
should pay him au immense sum for his 
“secret,” which he insisted must remain in 
possession of himself and wife. All refused 
to invest money in such a “ blind pool,” though 
they were ready to invest any amount in the 
enterprise if, on investigation, the professor’s 
claims proved to be well founded. The latter 
was persistent, however, and shortly after¬ 
wards managed to get up, iu Chicago, a com¬ 
pany with a small capital; but as he still re¬ 
fused to disclose his “secret,” the “ business” 
was not prosperous, money sxm ceased to 
come in, and the concern collapsed, the in¬ 
vests s losing every cent. Shortly afterward, 
in 1884, Friend came to this city, and at last 
succeeded in starting the Electric Sugar Re¬ 
fining Company, with a capital of $l,00u,000, 
in 1(1,000 shares of $100 each. Several well 
known business men became interested iu it, 
and soon the business was “ bo tming.” Why 
sensible men could be foolish enough to put 
money in such a scheme can be accounted for 
only on the ground that, like ordinary 
gudgeons, they could not resist the alluring 
promises of enormous profits. Fri-nd and his 
wife had ever u hing iu their own hands. They 
were to remain in possession of the secret, 
and any attempt on the part of the com¬ 
pany, their employes, agents, or lawyers to 
find out the secret, forfeited all their rights 
and auy stock they may have held. It was 
also a condition that the request of the stock¬ 
holders for the secret or any attempt to force 
it by legal process, should work a forfeiture, 
and, in case the professor died, the conditions 
should remain the same with regard to Mrs. 
Friend. 
Of the 10,000 shares, 5,250 were owned by 
Friend, giving him a controlling initrest; 
2,703 were sold to 650 persons iu England; 
1,000, were given gratis to President Co:- 
terell and Treasurer Robertson, and the 
remaining 957 were sold to ptople in this 
country, many of whom bought them for 
speculation. According to the general opin¬ 
ion, about $350,000 were paid into theTreasuiy 
as the proceeds ot the sale of the shares. Of 
this amount, nearly $200,000 were advanced 
to Friend for the purchase of machinery; 
while about $45,0ll0 were given him to be ex¬ 
pended on the Brooklyn refinery, a ram- 
shickle old building leaded on condition that 
on the expiration of the lease, all the fixtures 
etc., should revert to the landlord. One of 
our city papers, however, prints a table to 
show that $928,000 were received for the 
shares sold, instead of the $350,000 admitted. 
It says all expenses were not over $170,000, so 
that $748,000 are still unaccounted for. 
Here and in England, the prices of the $100 
shures rauged from $200 to $585, and it appears 
nobody reallyJtnows how mauy were issued, 
except, ot course, the inside circle of conspir- 
ltors. k riend died last March of a gallon-a-day- 
of-orandy, and was buried on Blizzard Day, 
and since then his smart, resolute widow, who 
has bought a tine house and farm at Milan, 
near Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been the sole 
possessor of the “secret." There is a dispute 
as to what this pretended to be. The officers 
of the company, in conversation and by cir- 
culais, slated that tne process refined raw 
sugar direct from the cane to a higher 
standard than could be obtained Dy any other 
means; but no such claim is contained in the. 
original contract, w hich merely says that it is 
a process for refining different grades of 
sugar at prices far below the market value 
thereof, making 90 per cent of pure sugar, 
with a loss of weight of not over five per cent. 
From the first, Friend permitted no one, ex 
cept his wiie, to see the process in operation. 
When the refinery was started in Brooklyn, 
two rooms were parti lioned off and lined 
with sheet-iron. When exhibitions of the 
process were made, all could see Darrels of 
coarse sugar carted to the building; they 
were rolled into these rooms, which contained 
all the “machinery,” chemicals, etc., and fine¬ 
ly ground sugar of a superlative quality 
soon poured down through the chutes, into 
tlje bins in the room below, wheie the specta¬ 
tors were assembled. After Friend’s death, 
his brother-in law, Howard, did the work. 
A few days after New Year’s, a cablegram 
from England announced that shares there 
had suddenly fallen from £80 to £l. Here 
there was at once a corresponding tumble. 
For some time previously the stock’had been 
going down somewhat, but this instantaneous 
collapse was a thunder-bolt from a cloudless 
sky. The company wanted to begin a regular 
business, and asked Mrs Friend to disci ise the 
secret of the process She absolutely refused. 
Doubts as to the genuineness of the thing soon 
became certainties that it was a fraud. The 
secret rooms in the Brooklyn refinery were, 
after much trouble, broken open, and were 
found to contain some barrels of coarse,brown 
sugar, some of fine, white sugar caked in 
masses, a sugar grinding mill, and a few other 
things of no importance. The thing had been 
a gross fraud on the public from the begin¬ 
ning. The brown sugar, instead of being in¬ 
stantly refined, and poured down through the 
chutes as pretended, was set aside and the 
prepared white sugar was ground and sent 
down in streams to dazzle the admiring spec¬ 
tators. Only a small fraction of the $200,000 
given Friend to buy machinery could have 
been spent for the few paltry appliances on 
hand, and only a small part of the $45,000 be 
claimed to have expended on the building, 
could have been laid out on it. Investigation 
shows that the affair was a swindle through 
and through. Neither the President nor the 
Secretary had invested a dollar in it. The 
previous President had been discharged be¬ 
cause he had dishonestly pocketed the proceeds 
of 561 shares; but he wasn’t prosecuted lest 
the disclosure should injure the credit of the 
concern. Everybody officially connected 
with it appears to have been “on the make.” 
The outside stockholders on both sides of the 
water were gulled on all sides. Shares can 
now be had for $10 here, and for $5 in Eog- 
land. They are thought to be worth this for 
the chance of something turning up 
There is a good deal of loose talk about 
criminally persecuting Mrs. Friend and her 
confederates; but it at pears that there is lit¬ 
tle legal ground for such a course. The offi¬ 
cers of the company, against some of whom 
grave charges of an ancient date are raked up, 
seem to have willfully deceived the public as 
to the claims made for the “ invention ” in the 
contract between the company and the inven¬ 
tor. * The public,dazzled by the enormous pro¬ 
fits promised by the company, blindly in¬ 
vested their money, and, as ought to have 
been expected under all the circumstances, 
have been beautifully swindled. There may 
be a process for improving refined sugar, as 
the samples produced are said to have been 
of a finer grade than can be made by auy 
known process; but, if so, Mrs. Friend holds 
the secret, and resolutely refuses to disclose it. 
She also maintains that she holds the secret 
of a process, invented by her husband, for 
making ordinary refined sugar out of grape 
sugar. To this, she says, the company has no 
claim whatever. 
What is the lesson taught to the public by 
the “electric sugar” gang? Simply that it is the 
sheerest folly to invest either faith or money 
in a business with which one is unacquainted, 
and whose workings are entirely in i he control 
of other parties. There are many such blind 
pools, in mines, stocks, produce, etc., and 
farmers have lost thousands and thousands of 
dollars by them. To the lessons taught by 
these should be added that inculcated by the 
“Electric Sugar Swindle.” 
and giants. 
We offer! 
the larRoet I 
and in ONt ( 
complete > 
general 1 
slock in \ 
the U. S.. of / 
Fruit&Ornamental Trees, 
Shrubs, Evergreens, 
Roses, Paeonies, 
Hardy Plants, 
Grapevines, Small Fruits, 
etc , including many Novell ion. Catalogues giving 
information indispensable to planters, sent to all re¬ 
gular customers Free; toothers: No. 1. Fruits. 10c.; 
No. S. Ornamental Trees. Ac., illustrated, lfrc.; No. 3, 
Strawberries, No. 4, Wholesale. No. 6, Roses, Free. 
ELLWANCER & BARRY, 
MOUNT HOPE I ROCHESTER, 
NURSERIES, I New York. 
JERRARDS 
SEED POTATO 
CATALOGUE 
loicestseed Potatoes 
Seeds all from the Cold 
names Special Lmc Freights and descrit 
Minister a. newpotatoof finest quail 
two weeks earlier than any other. 
tells how to Raise Potatoes ar 
Sent hree. Address. 
P. JERRARD, CARIBOU, MAIN 
To our friends who have not already received it, we are ready to mail 
our NKW CA'lAliOGlE of 
HIGH CLASS SEEDS 
For 1889. 
Containing all the Novelties of the Season, both in Vegetable and Flower 
Seeds. 
J.M. Thorburn&Co..15JohnS: NewYork. 
THES YRACUSE NURSERIES, 
OLD AND RELIABLE, 
ARE STILL OFFERING THE MOST COMPLETE ASSORTMENT OF YOUNG. SMOOTH, THRIFTY STOCK IN 
AMERICA. 
BUDDED APPLES, STANDARD PEARS. DWARF PEARS (High and Low Headed), 
PLl'MS, I'HKKRIF.S, PEACHES, OUNCES. RC^IAN APRICOTS, 
GOOSEBERRIES. CURRASTS. and a lull line ot 
ORNAMENTAL TREES, SHRUBS, etc. Also Extra Sized STANDARD PEARS of the Finest Quality. 
Special Inducements to Buyers in large quantities. Trade List out August Is*. 
SKui’HS, POWELL & LATI 15 , Syracuse, IV. V. 
Come, Fellow Farmers! 
It is the good things and the new things you want. 
Here is a Catalogue full of them! Do you want tested 
seed, raised from stock selected with extra care, 
grown from the best strains, got from the origi¬ 
nators? I aim to have mine just such. Do you 
new varieties that are really good, and not 
merely novelties? I aim to have mine such. Do 
you want seed that the dealer himself has faith enough 
in to warrant? I warrant mine, as see Catalogue. Do 
you want an exceptionally large collection to select from? 
Mine Is such. Do you want them directly from the grower? 
I grow a large portion of mine—few seedsmen grow any! VIv 
Vegetable and Flower Seed Catalogue for 1SSP FREE to every¬ 
body. JAMES J. II. GREGORY, Marblehead, Mass, 
Roses 
DINGEE & CONARD CO'S 
We offer postpaid at yotir 
own door, the LARGEST 
STOCK of ROSES in 
America, all varieties, 
sizes and prices, to suit 
all wants. ALL THE FINEST NEW ROSES, New Hardy FLOWERING PLANTS, 
New CLIMBING VINES, New Summer FLOWERING BULBS, and JAPAN LILIES, New 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS, GLADIOLUS and TUBEROSES, The Wonderful NEW MOON 
FLOWERS, New GRAPES, New and Rare FLOWER and VEGETABLE SEEDS. 
Goods sent everywhere by mail or express. Satisfaction Guaranteed. Our NEW GUIDE, no pages, 
handsomely illustrated, FREE TO ALL who write for it. It will pay you to see it before buying. 
THE DINGEE & CONARD CO., Rose Growers and Importers, West Grove, P&. 
Kansas Seeds 
HEADQUARTERS for Alfalfa, Japan and Es- 
persette Clover, Kaffir Corn, Millo Maize, Dourhu 
Cane Seed aDd Millet, Johnson and Bermudu 
Grass, Texas Blue Grass, and all kinds Field. Gar¬ 
den and Flower Seeds. Tree Seeds for Timber 
Claims and Nurseries aspecialty. Catalogs mailed 
free on application. KANSAS SEED HOUSE. 
F, BAKTELDES & CO., Lawrence, Kan. 
SALZERS GIANTfFCAT DUTCIC 
Over 100,000 
customers 
CUY NORTHERN GROWN 
Oats 2C0, Barley 70, Corn 125, Potatoes 600 bu., etc. 
We pav In Prizes JlfoO on Farm Seeds 
and 1*1,280 on Vegetables for largest yield in 
1889. You can win one or more if you want to. 
See Catalogue about it. Operate 5.000 acres in 
growing seeds. Floor room of seed store over 2 
acres; cellar capacity 60.000 bus. Our city has 42 
mails. 70 freight trains and St express daily, so we 
can fill all orders at once. Send 8c for Grain sam¬ 
ple or 10c for Giant Cabbage and get Fine Catalog 
free. JOHN A. SALZER, La Crosse, Wl». 
SEEDS 
ROSES 
PLANTS 
GRAPEVINES, FRUIT and ORNAMENTAL TREES 
CHOICEST OLD. RAREST NEW. 
Among the latter we introduce the CRAWFORD STRAWBERRY, 
vnil tiflllT IT I It combines more good qualities than any other. 
I UU If AH I I I ■ If vou want PURE TESTED SEED or anything 
for ORCHARD, GARDEN, LAWN or PARK, send for our 
VALUABLE FREE CATALOGUE 
containing about 140 pages with hundreds of illustrations. IT’S A 
BEAUTY! ORDER DIRECT. Get the best at honest prices, and 
save all commissions. Thirtv-flfth year: 24 greenhouses, 700 acres. 
THE ST0RRS & HARRISON CO., Painesville, Lake Co., 0. 
B0 LEY 
POTATO 
6jo8 Hundreds jujUSI 
Homes^% 
MDEHAPP/ 
A CURE roe HARD TIMES 
iFFnQ AT your door at wholesale 
" ™ ™ PRICKS. Having grown & large quantity of the fol- 
lowing choice aud valuable seeds the past season, and iu order to introduce 
them, with our wonderful new Potato, into 100,000 homes, we make the fol¬ 
lowing UNPRECEDENTED DEFER: For *1.00 in postage 
stamps or mouev, we will send a box post-paid, containing one packet each 
of the following NEW AND IMPROVED SEEDS, and one medium- 
sized tuber of BOLEY’S GREAT NORTHERN SPY PO¬ 
TATO, tho greatest discovery since the advent of the EARLY R 1 SK. 
Wilson's Early Blood Turnip Beet, earliest and best. Kan¬ 
tian'* Half-Lons Winter Beet, best variety. Wilson'* Beat 
of All Pole Beau*, good for snap-shorts in winter. Wilson’* 
Beat of All Bunch Beams rich, lender, and buttery. Early 
Advance Cabbage, best and earliest. Wilson's Premium 
Flat Dutch ('abbage, best late variety. Early Green 
Cluster Cucumber, best for table uae.^ Wilson’s Lon a: 
Green Cucumber, best for pickles.^ N*ew Cory Sugur 
Corn, the earliest In the world. Wilson's Larjre Ever- 
rnen Sugar Com, sweet and delicious. California or 
Golden Pop Com, best variety. New Self-Blanch In;; 
Celery, extra quality, needs no banking up. Wilson's 
Extra Early Lettuce, heading sort. Jordan’s Gray 
Monarch \\ utermelon, very largs, sweet, and sugarv. 
Miller's Cream Xutrucff Melon, best flavored in cul¬ 
tivation. Improved Round Yellow Danvers Onion. 
NEW SPANISH KING ONION, 3 pound onions from 
seed first rear. Abbot's Improved Su^ar Parsnip. 
Kuby King: Pepper, finest, largest, sweetest pepper ever 
seen. JUMBO, or CALIFORNIA, the largest pumpkin 
in the world; has weighed 100 lbs. Early Rosy Gem 
Radish, best and earliest. New Chartier Radish, best 
summer variety. White Pineapple Squash, good for pies, 
keeps all winter. Early Summer Butter Squash. Tur¬ 
ner's Hybrid Tomato, best and finest ever introduced. 
NEW ZEALAND FIG TOMATO, excellent for preserv¬ 
ing: cured and dried, equal to the best figs. Munich Strap- 
Leaf Turnip, tender, iwest. Golden Globe Kuta Buga, 
best for table use. VEGETABLE PEACH, easily grown from 
seed first ye-r; makes pies or preserves equal to the best peaches. 
Sample packet of W1 Ison's True Learning Com, the .earliest 
and best field corn In cultivation. New Mammoth Zinnia, double 
as a Dahlia, bright as a rose. Washington Aster*, very large all 
bright, beautiful colors. Giant German Panale*, beat mixed, in all 
OOFULL SIZKD PACKETS, with DIRECTIONS FOR AJ AA 
OccLTIVatiNG. and ONE whole POTATO for b I ■ UU 
•TV E boxe# ♦-LOO, TEN boxes ♦7.00, post-paid. Address plalnlv 
E L W ILSON. MECHANICS VTLLE. BUCKS county, PKXNA. 
3E catalogue accompanies each order 
Mention this p»p er . SAMVEL WltSON. , 
OPR «KAU riKUt,, ir,L,USTt»AT*D and DESCRIPTIVE 144-P.4.G 
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