1910. 
©m 
THE RURAL, NEW-YORKEB 
OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY 
Picked From the Berry Patch. 
I think it was about the beginning of 
April, 1908, that 1 first read the proposed 
plan of organizing the American Woman’s 
League, yet before the month was completed 
Mr. Lewis issued a hurry-up call for all 
who wished to obtain a membership in the 
Founder’s Chapter to make application for 
membership at once, as he expected soon 
to be able to announce that the Founder’s 
Chapter was completed. I thought it 
strange that so many should rush in in so 
short a time. A couple of months later I 
picked berries until I had saved the re¬ 
quired $52_, and seeing the call for mem¬ 
bership still appearing in the Woman's 
National Daily, I gave ray $52 for sub¬ 
scriptions to the Lewis publications. It 
then occurred to me that Mr. Lewis’s state¬ 
ment savored of untruth, but I excused 
it as the result of over zeal. Later he 
began to advertise stock in the trust com¬ 
pany for sale. He made great and wonder¬ 
ful promises regarding the advantages to 
be gained and the profits to be derived 
from an investment in this stock, urging 
everyone to buy at lea§t one share at any 
sacrifice, as it was the chance of a lifetime 
to obtain something of great value which 
was certain to yield a competency to its 
fortunate owners. Having read of his 
troubles and of the alleged great injustice 
which had been done by the Government 
postal ollicials, I gave him my sympathy 
and unbounded confidence, and took him at 
his word, and borrowed $1,000 at the bank 
here, giving 10 per cent on it, and sent 
him $900 in exchange for a seven-per-cent 
10 -months note, ordering that at maturity 
I be given stock in the Trust Company in¬ 
stead of the money payment. Then 1 sent 
for two shares in the Trust Company, giv¬ 
ing the required $520, supposing all this 
time that 1 should receive the certificate 
immediately when the stock payment was 
completed as is the case in buying stock in 
other companies, and there had been nothing 
in the many advertisements to the contrary. 
When I received an “Interim Receipt” I 
supposed a mistake had been ma'de and 
wrote to the company to that effect. I was 
frightened when I learned they would not 
give the stock certificate. Then for the 
first time I gave my attention to the study 
of this “Interim Receipt,” which the com¬ 
pany had given me for my money. I saw 
at once that it promised nothing,' that the 
whole transaction was a scheme and a trick 
to get money without giving or promising 
any return. I claim that this company had 
no right to take money for something it 
had advertised tor sale but would not de¬ 
liver, without naming this condition in 
each and every advertisement. Think of 
Mr. Lewis’s promises made to induce people 
to buy the preferred publishing stock, and 
how he did not keep these promises! Think 
of his promises of an annuity to his Found¬ 
er’s Chapter members, telling them that the 
first year's annuity would of necessity be 
small, not more than $10 or $15, but that 
it would increase each year. Now, after 
two years he will thrust upon these mem¬ 
bers a debenture note to yield first 40 
cents, then GO cents. 80 cents, and so on 
till it reaches $1.40, this $20 debenture 
note to be paid in 10 years, backed by 
other indefinite promises. What a source 
of wealth! He talks of a certain woman 
and a certain publisher calling the other 
League women all sorts of dupes, idiots, im¬ 
beciles, and the like, but what does he vir¬ 
tually call them when he creates traps and 
lures women into them just as a herdsman 
lures his flocks into some stronghold when 
he wishes to control them? Think how his 
“Final Plan” was prepared and the women 
to whom he had promised a governing vote, 
were called in convention, then toasted and 
feasted and flattered until there was no 
time left for counsel or study, .and when 
they were intoxicated by the newness and 
excitement of their reception, and the 
beauty of their surroundings, this "Final 
Plan” was “railroaded” through when 
these women had been given no time to 
consider it, and no chance to know its 
meaning. But the members of the 
Founder’s Chapter were not all at the con¬ 
vention, so there is a receipt for final 
membership certificate attached to each 
membership certificate for her to sign, 
which is so constructed that in signing it, 
she virtually accepts the “Final Plan” and 
“By-Laws” of the Founder’s Chapter. I 
think that every member who has not al¬ 
ready signed this receipt should be warned 
not to do so until she studies this “Final 
Plan” and learns what it means. 
Nebraska. e. a. w. 
The record is growing. We have told 
how Lewis got money earned by work¬ 
ing girls in the kitchen, money earned at 
the washtub, and money saved by keep¬ 
ing boarders. Here is money earned in 
the berry patch. However much you 
may despise this method of getting other 
people’s money, you can scarcely fail to 
allow that Mr. Lewis has rare talent in 
that direction. You must, however, re¬ 
member that the highwayman and die 
safe breaker have talent. Just think of 
the situation. After thorough investi¬ 
gation the Government issued fraud or¬ 
ders against Lewis and his enterprises, 
and had him indicted before a Federal 
Grand Jury. He was found to have 
misused the funds of the now defunct 
bank, and the bank was closed. Ordi¬ 
narily these records would stop the 
practices complained of even if they 
went no further. But the very record 
that would usually destroy confidence 
and credit was used by Lewis as a 
means of creating a sympathy for him¬ 
self from women who actually knew 
nothing of the circumstances except 
what Lewis told them. These women 
believed what he told them; that the ex¬ 
press companies and large bankers were 
at the bottom of his troubles; and that 
the Government was prejudiced and did 
not give him a fair hearing. These 
women had no means of knowing of the 
careful investigation by the Government 
on their behalf, nor of the damaging ad¬ 
missions made by Lewis and his records 
during the investigation. They heard 
only Lewis’s plausible hysterical story. 
He made it appear that he was fighting 
for their interests, their rights, and their 
principles. In short, he made them think 
that he was their disinterested friend; 
that the Government, in league with ex¬ 
press companies and bankers, was an 
enemy of both and determined to use 
the oowers of Government cruelly to 
crush him and their bank. It was a 
great scheme, and it worked. The other 
women, like this one, gave him their 
confidence, and sent him their money. 
Those already in the bank scheme sent 
him an assignment of their claims as he 
requested; and with these assignments 
he was able to make good his shortages 
to the bank through the receiver, so that 
the very women whose money he got 
under false representation and fraud as 
alleged by the Government, came for¬ 
ward and saved him from the results of 
the alleged misuse of the funds of the 
bank. But the women are beginning to 
catch on to his methods at last. Now, 
they see through the game. He cannot 
go on making promises, evading obli¬ 
gations and making excuses indefinitely. 
This woman not only sent him $52 
earned in the berry patch; she borrowed 
$1,000, paying $100 for the use of it, in 
addition to interest, and sent him in all 
$1,272. When she complained to Mr. 
Higgins, of Success Magazine, which 
has joined hands with Lewis, Mr. Lewis 
put up the bluff that he would return 
her money, if she wanted to forego all 
the benefits. She had learned her lesson, 
and said “Send back the money.” But it 
didn’t come. On further complaint to 
Mr. Higgins that gentleman informed 
her that after investigation he found 
“Mr. Lewis did not legally owe her a 
penny.” Of course not. What is the 
use of employing smart lawyers on fake 
schemes if the schemer is to become 
legally responsible for the money sent 
him. Why, bless your confiding soul, 
these attorneys are paid out of your 
money for the very purpose of avoiding 
such responsibility 1 This woman made 
the only logical answer. She said: 
“That’s my complaint. Lewis has my 
money, and I have nothing of value for 
it.” 
Lewis is now claiming daily in his pa¬ 
per that the debentures are being taken 
up and that he has sold millions of dol¬ 
lars’ worth of real estate. If so, he must 
be getting money, but he is not paying 
the $20,000 he owes our subscribers. 
NEW YORK CABBAGE CROP. 
I have looked over this section and 
find only about 35 acres of late Fall and 
Winter cabbage, but what little there is 
looks unusually good. Almost every plant 
has made a good head, no worms, and 
seems to be free from disease. This sec¬ 
tion produced a heavy crop of Summer 
and early Fall cabbage that sold at $2.50 
to $3 for 100 heads. Present prices are, 
domestic, $G to $7 per ton; Danish, $9 to 
$10. Only 25 per cent of stock grown in 
this section is usually stored for Winter. 
Elmira, N. Y. a. G. miller. 
The late cabbage in this locality never 
looked better, as it appears to be free 
from all blemishes, so unless something 
unforeseen occurs in the next few weeks 
we shall have the finest crop of Danish 
cabbage, both as to quality and quantity, 
that has ever been produced in this vicin¬ 
ity. We have already loaded one car of 
Danish, and expect to take it in freely 
next week. The worms and flies attacked 
the plants shortly after setting, but abun¬ 
dant rains either destroyed these posts or 
caused the plants to grow so rapidly tna/ 
they outgrew the effects, so that the beads 
are about all perfect at the present time. 
Geneva, N. Y. geneva produce co. 
The cabbage crop in this section of the 
county is the largest in years, some getting 
as high as 27 tons to an acre. There are 
three kraut factories here, one opposite 
our house covering one acre of land. One 
day they took in 80 loads of cabbage, about 
two tons to a load. The price is now $2.50 
to $3 per ton. I have not sold my cabbage 
yet, have been waiting for a higher price. 
My potatoes are few in a hill, but quite 
large, and this is the way with about all 
potato crops here. Commenced digging Oc¬ 
tober 4. Very hard wind here lately which 
blew off about 15Q bushels of apples in 
my orchards. I have sold some apples for 
$3 per barrel. A good hay and oat crop 
and I think corn the same. e. s. n. 
Phelps, N. Y. 
CROP NOTES. 
Some apple growers near here, who have 
started a good trade, are getting from 
$1.75 to $2.50 per bushel box for best fruit 
and $1.20 to $1.25 for the culls. The ex¬ 
pense of packing and delivery comes out of 
these prices. A. m. b. 
Lapeer, Mich. 
Prince Edward Island reports a big hay 
crop, something over 500.000 tons. About 
half this crop will be exported and will go 
to Boston. The local price is now $8 per 
ton. The yield of oats runs over 7,000,000 
bushels, with fairly good quality. Local 
prices were 35 to 37 cents per bushel. 
The potato crop is a little lighter than 
last year. The export price is about 25 
cents' per bushel. These potatoes are 
landed in Boston by paying the tariff of 
25 cents and 12 cents per bushel freight, 
and when they come in large quantities 
they largely determine the price of New 
England potatoes. 
We are down here in Egypt—the land 
of milk and honey (?), where in times of 
crop failures in Central Illinois the people 
come to get their hog and hominy. Plenty 
of everything except money, yet a good 
many have more than they need of that 
article. Hill corn, as fine as ever asked 
for. Plenty of clover, Timothy and Alfalfa, 
Stock peas for seed and hay. Some broom 
corn planted this season and over 100 
acres of cotton just bursting the bolls. 
About 200 cars strawberries from this 
county; also cars of pears and apples, 
although no big crop. Some peaches and 
grapes and a fairly good crop of raspber¬ 
ries and blackberries. Our soil is one of 
the best clay soils, but it has, in most 
cases, been “mined,” not farmed. The 
hills were covered with the very finest 
oak, poplar, beech. Red gum and a dozen 
other kinds of timber, the valleys and low¬ 
lands with oak, hickory, gum, ash, elm, 
cottonwood, sycamore and cypress, so you 
see we must have soil for all varieties of 
crops. What we need is more good far¬ 
mers. I can show you a little "blue spot.” 
We have at least 300 bushels green and 
wax beans ready to ship and they are not 
worth shipping. St. Louis, 5 to 25 cents, 
and Chicago, 20 to 40 cents per bushel. 
Villa Ridge, Ill. u. l. s. 
GOVERNMENT CROP REPORT.—The 
corn crop will apparently be the largest in 
this country’s history, over 3,000,000,000 
bushels. The wheat estimate is 30,000,000 
bushels under last year, or 691,769,000 
from 2,000,000 acres more than last year. 
The shortage is on Spring wheat. Oats 
promise 1,086,380,000 bushels, nearly 90,- 
000,000 in excess of last year ; rye, 32,088,- 
000 bushels, 150,000 short of last year; 
barley, 158,138,000, nearly 13,000.000 
bushels short. On other crops the follow¬ 
ing percentages of a normal crop are 
given : Potatoes, 71.8, 1.3 per cent, above 
last year; tobacco, 80.2, 2.5 above; apples, 
46.4, .4 per cent, under last year. 
CALIFORNIA PEACH CROP—The sec¬ 
retary of the California Fruit Exchange 
states: “On the whole, the present sea¬ 
son has not been profitable to growers of 
peaches in California. There was very lit¬ 
tle market for the early peaches because 
the peach crop of Texas was marketed in 
the East about the same time. During 
the months of July and August peaches 
sold fairly well, but in the latter part 
of August the Salways from the North¬ 
western States were shipped East, again 
reducing the demand for the California 
article. Ail through the season a large 
part of the crop was dried or sold to can¬ 
neries. Still, considering that the peach 
crop was heavy in California, and in other 
peach producing sections also, California 
peaches found a fairly good market.” 
PRIZE VIRGINIA APPLES.—Among 
other prizes for the coming meeting of the 
Virginia Horticultural Society at Roanoke, 
January 11-13, is the following: “Open to 
competition from any State (including Vir¬ 
ginia ) and Canada of $50 for the best five 
boxes, one of each variety, of Albermarle 
Pippin, Winesap, York Imperial, Ben Davis, 
Grimes Golden, Jonathan, Spitzenburg, 
Baldwin, Paradise Winter Sweet, Rome 
Beauty. All growers in the countries 
named are cordially invited to enter for 
this competition and to notify the secre¬ 
tary of their entries by December 25.” 
The secretary is Walter Wha'tely, Crozet, 
Va. There is no string tied to this prize. 
It will be given for the best apples—no 
matter where they come from. 
CANADIAN FRUIT.—The Canadian De¬ 
partment of Agriculture reports a fair crop 
of apples varying greatly in different sec¬ 
tions. Markets are promising in Europe 
and even in South America. Prices are re¬ 
ported as follows: A large number of or¬ 
chards of medium quality have sold at $1.25 
to $1.50, firsts and seconds on the trees. 
Several co-operative associations have sold, 
the general basis being about $3, or some¬ 
what less, for firsts and seconds covering 
the whole output. Where the associations 
have sold special varieties in solid carload 
lots, Baldwins have been bringing $2.75 to 
$3.25 per barrel; $4 per barrel has been 
obtained for fancy carloads of Spys. In 
district 4, $3.50 has been paid to growers 
for firsts and seconds, solid carloads of Mc¬ 
Intosh and Snows. These figures constitute 
almost record prices at this season of the 
year. 
OHIO CROPS.—The Ohio Department of 
Agriculture gave the following crop esti¬ 
mates, October 1 : The figures on wheat 
production, based on the acreage as re¬ 
turned by the township assessors, show a 
large increase over the estimated area as 
reported by the official correspondents of 
the Department, hence the total production 
in bushels is much greater than was antici¬ 
pated in previous reports. The assessors’ 
returns show that 1,984,895 acres were 
originally seeded to wheat, and deducting 
from this the area abandoned there re¬ 
mained 1,942,599 acres to be harvested. 
Correspondents estimate that the average 
yield per acre was 16 bushels, a total pro¬ 
duction for the State as a whole of 31,229,- 
206 bushels. ' The production last year 
was 27,393,344 bushels. The quality of 
the grain is estimated at 93 per cent., 
compared with an average, as against 87 
per cent, last year. The average produc¬ 
tion per acre is approximately the same as 
as the harvest of 1909. Of last year’s 
crop, it is estimated that but 7 per cent, 
still remains in producers’ hands. The 
break in the long dought put the ground 
in line condition for seeding, and where 
early sown the plant shows a thriving 
condition. Much of the present corn 
ground will be put to wheat, and as that 
crop is late in maturing, seeding has neces¬ 
sarily been retarded. The area of oats as 
reported by township assessors was 1,441,- 
957 acres, and from this has been pro¬ 
duced 54,094,054 bushels, an average of 38 
bushels per acre. This is an increase of 
approximately 5.000,000 bushels over last 
year’s harvest. Quality of the grain is up 
to full average. 100 per cent. Barley shows 
an estimated production of 461,165 bushels, 
while it is estimated 995.239 bushels of 
rye were harvested. The corn prospect is 
estimated at 81 per cent, of a normal 
yield, based upon 35 bushels per acre as 
normal, represented by 100 per cent. The 
area planted to corn, as estimated by the 
township assessors, was 3,074,292 acres, 
and from present prospect it should pro¬ 
duce 87,156,178 bushels. Even though the 
crop should husk out much better than 
now anticipated it will fall far short of 
the crop of one year ago. At proper plant¬ 
ing season cool, wet weather prevailed, and 
the greater area was planted late. During 
the mouth of June the plant made rapid 
growth, but severe drought followed the 
succeeding months, and its effect is now 
apparent in the poor prospect reported. 
The probable yield of potatoes is estimated 
at but 70 per cent, compared with an aver¬ 
age. On the corresponding date last year 
the prospect was reported at 89 per cent. 
The tobacco prospect also shows a material 
decline in comparison with last year. It 
is reported at 75 per cent, of an average 
as against 97 per cent, in 1909. Apple 
prospect is estimated at 62 per cent, com¬ 
pared with an average. Late rains have 
greatly benefited pastures. 
STATE “GRAFT” INVESTIGATION.— 
The beet sugar bounty was a good thing 
for the pockets of the Albany Senators 
and Assemblymen, it developed when the 
Legislative graft inquiry took up the sub¬ 
ject in its proceedings October 6. The 
bounty ran from 1898 to 1908, when Gov¬ 
ernor Hughes killed it, and in the ten-year 
period the three beet sugar factories in 
the State got more than $545,000 in public 
bounties. These concerns, none of which 
is now in operation, were in Lyons, Bing- 
liampton and Rome. It was testified the 
Lyons Beet Sugar Refining Company alone 
paid more than $17,000 iu Legislative graft 
in the four-year period 1905 to 1908, inclu¬ 
sive. How much was thus distributed by 
the two other factories has not yet been 
disclosed in the evidence. The Lyons beet 
factory’s “boodle fund” was disbursed l».v 
Harry F. Zimmerlin, who said, under oatli, 
he used $6,300 of it in May, 1905, as fol¬ 
lows: Senator John Raines, $3,000. In all 
Raines got $9,000. Assemblyman Jean Bur¬ 
nett, $3,000; C. H. Betts, clerk to the Re¬ 
vision Committee of the Legislature. $300. 
Zimmerlin said half of what Burnett got 
was intended for distribution to others at 
Albany—what or which others the witness 
could not be induced to admit he ever knew. 
Zimmerlin testified that his connection with 
tjie beet sugar industry, began in 1900. 
when he left his hardware store in Lyons 
to become the head State beet sugar weigh¬ 
er. The weighers weighed the sugar at the 
factories and thus adjusted the bounty. In 
1902 Zimmerlin first appeared at Albany to 
“look after” the bounty bill, which was 
reintroduced year by year. In 1908 he was 
made vice-president of his company. Fred 
Steigelwald was president. The witness said 
he paid out no graft at Albany until 1905. 
In 1905; it was testified. Senator Raines 
told the witness the bill couldn’t pass that 
year unless the grower of beets received the 
bounty. So then somebody conceive d the 
idea of introducing a “joker” into the bill, 
defeating its seeming purpose—to benefit 
the farmers. This joker provided that the 
bounty of $1 a ton on beets be paid to the 
grower or his assignees. The assignee was 
always the sugar factory. The witness 
couldn't recollect who suggested the phrase 
“or his assignees.” The bill was intro¬ 
duced in the Assembly by A. 1’. Smith and 
in the Senate by Raines. In 1905 the bill 
was not reported out of the committee until 
May 4, the day before adjournment, when it 
was railroaded through. 
FARM AND GARDEN.—Ivan C. Weld, of 
the Dairy Division, United States Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture, has been appointed 
to take charge of the milk and cream ex¬ 
hibits at National Dairy Show at Chicago, 
October 20-29. The competition in this 
department is open to all milk and cream 
producers in the United States and Canada. 
The classes are market milk, market cream, 
certified milk and certified cream. Only one 
entry may be made in each class by one 
exhibitor, and exhibitors of certified milk 
or cream are barred from competition in 
the market milk or cream classes. All en¬ 
tries must be accompanied by complete an¬ 
swers to questions dealing with the details 
of production and care. These questions 
are printed on the entry blanks, which con¬ 
tain also full information as to entries, ship¬ 
ment, etc., and which may be obtained from 
H. E. Van Norman, secretary, or Ivan C. 
Weld, superintendent of milk and cream 
exhibits. 79 Dearborn street, Chicago. 
At a public hearing on October 20 manu¬ 
facturers and vendors of insecticides and 
fungicides will have an opportunity to pre¬ 
sent their views concerning the regulations 
that are to be promulgated for the en¬ 
forcement of the new "insecticide law.” 
The hearing will be held in the room as¬ 
signed to the "food board” at the Bureau 
of Chemistry, United States Department of 
Agriculture, Washington, D. C. The new 
law is similar in form and substance to 
the food and drugs act and forbids the 
adulteration or misbranding of insecticides 
and fungicides that pass in interstate com¬ 
merce. 
The College of Agriculture at Cornell is 
preparing to hold its annual corn show dur¬ 
ing Farmers' Week, which occurs February 
20 to 25, 1911. Any farmer or others who 
grow corn may make entries. The prizes 
will consist of banners and certificates. Any 
kind of variety of corn may be entered for 
prizes; flints, dents, popcorn or sweet corn. 
There will be classes which will include all 
of these kinds of corn. The very finest of 
the season’s crop should be saved for this 
show. Public schools of the State may 
compete for banners. There will also be a 
class open to Granges or other agricultural 
societies. All inquiries regarding the show 
should be addressed to Prof. C. IT. Tuck, 
College of Agriculture, Ithaca, N. Y. 
The seventeenth annual convention of the 
Ohio State Dairymen’s Association will be 
held February 1, 2, 3 and 4, 1911, at the 
State fair grounds. Columbus, Ohio, in con¬ 
nection with the National Corn Exposition. 
The central group of buildings at the fair 
grounds are the most conveniently arranged 
of any that could have been secured by the 
National Corn Association for the Fourth 
Annual National Corn Exposition and the 
meeting of the Ohio State Dairymen's As¬ 
sociation. Besides the large convention hall, 
in which the' meetings of the association 
will be held, there has been provided for 
the Dairymen’s Association one entire build¬ 
ing for exhibition purposes. The manage¬ 
ment of the National Corn Exposition advise 
that to date, the experiment stations of 
over 25 leading agricultural States have 
agreed to make exhibits at the exposition. 
Thursday, February 2, has been set anart by 
the National Corn Association as National 
Dairy Day. The Ohio dairymen are sup¬ 
posed to act as host and welcome the' dairy¬ 
men of the different States and countries 
who will attend the National Corn Exposi¬ 
tion. In the evening of National Dairy 
Day will be given a great national dairy¬ 
men’s banquet under the auspices of the 
Ohio State Dairymen’s Association. At this 
banquet dairy dishes will predominate and 
several of the most prominent after-dinner 
orators of the dairy world will speak. 
