1911. 
'THE RURAL, NKW-YORKER 
1170 
OTHER PEOPLE S MONEY. 
A friend here sent me a Lewis paper in 
which Lewis made such a blow over getting 
a judgment for $30,000 I saw some report 
of it in The R. N.-Y. at the time, but have 
not learned how it worked out. If you are 
free to tell me, I would like to know how it 
worked out. I have a letter from a friend 
at Mack. Colo., who tells me Lewis has a 
number of victims in that town. 
West Virginia. a friend. 
The R. N.-Y. is free to tell its friends 
and readers anything that they want to 
know. The facts about the Lewis affairs 
are these: Subscribers sent us small 
claims to collect from Lewis. At first 
he paid them; but as the claims kept 
coming, he refused to pay. In all we 
have now over $100,000 claims. About 
$2,000 was collected. When he refused 
payment of past due claims, his method 
of getting money from country people 
was investigated. This, with the stories 
told by his victims, indicated that he 
had collected about $8,000,000 from 
country people, and that the concerns 
on which the money was collected were 
apparently insolvent. They have since 
been declared bankrupt by the Federal 
Court. Our claims were in amount just 
less than $2,000 each. To get Jbem into 
the Federal Court, individual claims 
must exceed $2,000. Hence we could 
proceed to collect only in the local 
courts. Different attorneys, however, 
told us that Lewis had such control of 
local political affairs in his county 
through the spending and use of the 
money he brought there from the coun¬ 
try that it would not be wise to attempt 
to collect the claims in local courts. He 
could cause delays and expense that 
would not be justified, especially since it 
was not probable that a suit could be 
collected even if judgment was finally 
entered. If that was all, we would prob¬ 
ably let the matter rest, until he had 
run the race and fell of his own weight. 
But he started a new scheme to collect 
more money on a gigantic scale, telling 
the people that about $3,000,000 or less 
of debenture notes would cover all the 
indebtedness and put the investors in 
possession of property worth $9,000,000. 
Many confiding people believed him. We 
knew it was a lie. Three of the com¬ 
panies alone would require $6,000,000, 
and we estimated it would fake ten to 
twelve millions of the debentures to 
cover all he proposed and promised. He 
was urging poor country people to put 
their money with these debentures on 
the promise of great future profits. We 
showed up the scheme and warned our 
people to leave the debentures alone. 
Fraud orders had been issued against 
one of his schemes and himself. In dis¬ 
cussing his schemes we said inadver¬ 
tently that the fraud order had been 
issued against two concerns. He brought 
a libel suit in the name of the company 
against which no fraud order had been 
issued. The way this suit was brought 
is characteristic. The Missouri law pro¬ 
vides that summons for a trial in the 
State court can be made only on a com¬ 
pany or firm doing business in the State 
or having its agent there. We do no 
business in the State and have no agent 
there. No legal or rightful service 
could be made to take us into a local 
court in St. Louis County. The Federal 
courts or New York State courts were 
rightly open to him, and no other juris¬ 
diction could be rightly secured. But 
Lewis has a local crony as an ad¬ 
vertising agent or broker. This crony 
at one time acted as a committee or judge 
to award prizes in a lottery scheme con¬ 
ducted by Lewis, by which Lewis on his 
own admission gathered in about $200,(XX) 
from women and children. The papers 
were served on this crony as if he were 
an agent of ours, though he had no au¬ 
thority to represent us in any way, and the 
orders he sent us for his fake advertis¬ 
ing were invariably returned. This bosom 
friend of Lewis conveniently went to 
the Lewis offices to receive the papers, 
under the hollow pretension that he 
was an agent of The R. N.-Y., yet a 
return was made to the court as if 
proper service had been made on us 
within the State of Missouri. The 
court, however, held the case on 
the service. Last July when the Grand 
Jury was about to indict Lewis and 
when the Federal Court was about to 
render a decision of a suit brought by 
Claud D. Hall to secure a receiver for 
all the Lewis enterprises, the libel suit 
came up for trial. This happened when 
I was laid up with an infected abscess 
of the inner ear, and if all St. Loui$ 
were at stake I could not have gone 
there to secure it, and would not have 
attempted it. Affidavits of this fact were 
made by our family doctor and an ex¬ 
pert physician and forwarded. We did 
not for a moment think that any court 
would force a trial under such circum¬ 
stances, but it was just the situation 
Lewis wanted. For seven years Lewis 
has denounced conviction without fair 
trial, and demanded with great effect 
his right to a day in court and a 
fair open trial. But he forgot it all, 
and demanded trial then and there with 
no one but an attorney on the side of 
the defense. Not a witness for the 
defense could be produced. No one else 
was familiar with the circumstances and 
the facts. The Lewis attorneys had it all 
their own way. The Lewis company was 
insolvent, and was thrown into bank¬ 
ruptcy the next day by the most scath¬ 
ing decree that was ever issued from a 
Federal Court. Not a dollar of damage 
was proved or could be proved, yet they 
got their snap verdict. St. Louis men 
since wrote us that the “Lewis crowd” 
were very moderate, as they could have 
secured any verdict they wanted, even 
probably to hanging. If this is not liter¬ 
ally true, it at least serves to show the 
sentiment of business men at their own 
home. 
Of course the attorneys moved for a 
new trial at once, asking that we be 
given an opportunity to be present and 
present the evidence that we have for the 
record. The same judge heard the argu¬ 
ment, and reserved decision until last 
week. A hearing of the Lewis grievances 
had been arranged in the meantime and 
beautifully staged. Liberal fannings of 
dust were thrown into the air, and at¬ 
tention entirely diverted from the main 
issue of the Lewis system of plundering 
country people. The Lewis cronies and 
the beneficiaries of his schemes were 
allowed to tell their stories and express 
their opinions. The members of the com¬ 
mittee were shown expensive and idle 
buildings built by poor people’s money. 
They were told how he converted a 
swamp into a beautiful landscape resi¬ 
dence, where he lives surrounded by 
every comfort and luxury that easy 
money provides. They saw big presses 
idle, and a cork factory empty, all in 
debt for many times more than they are 
worth. The committee thought it all 
fine. None of them seems to ask about 
the poor people who put their savings 
into them on the promise of wonderful 
profits and schemes which the Federal 
Court classed as monumental swindles. 
The affair was beautifully staged. It is 
not conceivable that the Congressional 
committee realized the part they played, 
or rather they were made to play. It 
was all worked very skillfully, and to the 
unthinking, effectively, but we have not 
seen a single word of evidence to justify 
the attempted sale of millions of worth¬ 
less debentures to country people on 
promises of nine millions security. But 
the next day the judge denied the 
request for a new and fair trial of 
the libel case on its merits. The case 
will now be appealed to the higher 
courts, and we have faith enough in the 
institutions of this country and of its 
courts to believe that the judgment will 
be reversed. J. J. d. 
The Grange at Columbus. 
I road the Grange editorial on page 
1098, then went to Columbus and attended 
State Grange—three days. There was some 
little grouch thrown on minor troubles; but 
taking it in all its phases, it was a very 
good meeting, and had some meritorious 
features. The membership and the dele¬ 
gates were largely progressive, while the 
official side of the order was reactionary, as 
all ponderous bodies are that wish to per¬ 
petuate their official existence. This desire 
is none the less noticeable in the State 
Grange than in other bodies. For several 
instances, members of official standing had 
been charged guilty of using their names 
as members of executive committees or of 
official standing in the Ohio State Grange, 
etc., in offering support to candidates over 
the State for election to the coming con¬ 
stitutional convention, and got a good drub¬ 
bing for the free use of the Grange’s repu¬ 
tation. 
Rut when the national body comes to¬ 
gether the whole atmosphere changes. This 
body is ruled by absolute despotic author¬ 
ity, so much so that even an outsider can¬ 
not secure a post as gate keeper, yet one 
of the order will not take the job and go 
back to his State tabbed as watchdog at the 
gate of the National Grange. They prefer 
to employ some fellow where the National 
is to be held. I was around most of the 
time at the National meeting in Columbus, 
and so far as the members of the National 
order were concerned they knew no one 
who did not wear the shoulder straps or 
regalia of that particular order or body. 
The word democratic was often used in 
the meeting as a symbol of its liberality 
and toleration. If there is an organization 
to-day in America that savors of the most 
arrogant or oligarchic taint it is the body 
I am describing. The seclusive hobnobbing 
of the Masters from the States in threes 
and fives and even passing each other in 
cold lofty estrangement became unbearable 
in our midst, and our State Grange people 
left the city in disgust, until the meeting 
dwindled to a comfortable handful. So 
noticeable and contemptible had the actions 
of these blue bloods become, who belong 
to distant and neighboring States, that 
Ohio's State Master, who is classed as a 
standpatter and reactionary, took the tloor 
and lambasted the whole nest of them for 
their high-handed actions and caucussing 
everlastingly and eternally, and making the 
meeting a disgrace to the State and nation. 
A political convention in Ohio, only larger, 
could not have been more partisan than the 
standpatters, and had not there developed 
two other factions, the insurgents and the 
middle-of-roaders, there would have been 
loads of fun. Somehow they got together 
and kissed for this year, but remember, this 
don’t count if the insurgents and middle- 
of-roaders get together next year. 
Don’t you think for a minute that the 
hatchet is buried, for the handle is sticking 
out ready for use. It will be necessary to 
carry the war into Egypt. s. t. 
EXPRESS INVESTIGATION.—Excessive 
delay in tracing missing shipments anti 
settling for lost or damaged ones and ex¬ 
orbitant and inconsistent rates were 
charged against the express companies by 
witnesses at the session of investigation by 
Interstate Commerce Commissioner Frank¬ 
lin K. Lane, November 23. Robert IT. Elm- 
endorf. representing the Century Company, 
publishers, said that a package sent to 
Richmond. Va., did not reach the consignee 
and that it took the United States Express 
Company from May. 1910, to March. 1911, 
to find out that it had been delivered to 
the wrong man. .Tames S. Rush, who is in 
the bank and office fixture business, said a 
shipment of glass was broken when lie re¬ 
ceived it in Newark. It cost him $35.10 
to duplicate the glass. Agents of the ex¬ 
press company advised him that he had no 
claim and that it would cost more than 
$35.10 to carry the case to court, but after 
more than a year the company paid him 
$25. W. IT. Chandler, assistant manager 
of the transportation department of the 
Roston Chamber of Commerce, had prepared 
charts indicating that in many instances 
the express rates when fixed by the ex¬ 
press companies were higher than when 
fixed by State commissions. As for rate 
raising. Mr. Chandler said there was a big 
boost in 1891, amounting in some schedules 
to 33 per cent over the figures for 1887. 
In 1903 there was another rise, when as 
much as 20 per cent additional was tacked 
on. Out of about 7.000 possible changes 
between 4.000 and 5.000 rates were ad¬ 
vanced and less than 30 were reduced. The 
English parcel charge. Mr. Chandler said, 
is considerably less than the charge under 
the graduate system of the United States. 
Commissioner Lane seemed interested in 
the testimony of Edward J. Pro flit, treas¬ 
urer of the Providence (R. I.) Parcel Post 
Company, regarding the cost of city de¬ 
livery. Mr. Proffit’s company has contracts 
for gathering packages from department 
stores in Providence and delivering them 
through a central depot. For one of tne 
stores the company will charge 5.1 cents a 
package, whereas the store lias been pac¬ 
ing 6.87 cents. Asked by Attorney Fair- 
child if the Company could be as efficient 
ns the express companies in its transpor¬ 
tation and delivery service, Mr. Proffit re¬ 
plied “We most assuredly can.” 
The United States exports $40,000,000 
worth of farm implements annually. Reap¬ 
ing machines, including mowers, plows and 
cultivators, $8.000.000; thrashers, $2,500,- 
000; and miscellaneous implements of prac¬ 
tically every kind made, account for the 
remaining $9,500,000. Cattle feed to the 
value of $15,000,000, chiefly linseed and 
cottonseed products, are sent to Europe, and 
the fertilizer exports, including phosphate 
rock, are about $12,000,000. Two other 
large items are: Hinder twine,-$8,000,000; 
and barbed wire, $5,000,000. 
The Man Behind the Plow 
Wants a Good Fertilizer 
For the land’s sake 
give him BOWKER’S 
Plowing 1 is hard work. Don’t afterward lose its 
'benefits by using a poor fertilizer. Since good hard 
labor is necessary to get the land ready, it would be 
a pity to have the crop fail to yield its best at harvest 
time through any lack of fertility. 
Forty years of experience, prompt service, the 
best materials, the best facilities are behind every 
bag of Bowker’s Fertilizer. We have a brand to fit 
every crop and every pocket book. 
We want agents wherever we are not now represented. 
Write today for prices and terms; this may mean a good 
business for you if you act at once. 
Write anyhow for our illustrated catalogue and calendar. 
We want you to know Bowker’s before you buy your spring 
fertilizer. 
FERTILIZER COMPANY, 
77 Lyman St., Buffalo, N. Y. 
BOWKER 
Original and largest manufacturers of special fertilizers. 
Get Him By Telephone 
This illustrates one of the countless ways a telephone will 
save time and money. If you haven’t a telephone by all 
means get one. But be sure your telephone is a 
Western 'Ehctric 
TRADE HARK 
Rural Telephones 
—the most reliable of all telephones. They are made in 
the same factory and by the same telephone engineers as the 
world-famed “Bell” telephone—the recognized standard tele¬ 
phone. Thousands are used every day by farmers every where. 
Mail coupon to our nearest house for detailed 
information about Western Electric telephones 
and how to secure them for your line . 
•o 
c 
CJ 
« 
y 
a 
C. 
(0 
£ 
C 
a 
s 
CVBWKUmfROTlS 
WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY 
Manufacturers of Ibe 6,000,000 "Bell” Telephones 
% 
New York Chicago 
Buffalo Indianapolis 
Philadelphia Cincinnati 
Boston Minneapolis 
Pittsburg St. Paul 
Atlanta Milwaukee 
Saint Louis 
Kansas City 
Denver 
Dallas 
Omaha 
San Francisco 
Oakland 
Los Angeles 
Seattle 
Salt Lake City 
Oklahoma City Portland 
Montreal Toronto Winnipeg Vancouver Antwerp London 
Berlin Paris Johannesburg Sydney Tokyo OASSSCoDflE? 
Address the house nearest you 
EQUIPMENT FOR EVERY ELECTRICAL NEED 
<D OO 
3 ^ 
o 6 
8* 
