| Show 8 the I aw are vai ious methods by which the unscrupulous fakirs who infest tho produce trade succeed in swindling country shippers and still keep them selves out of the clutches of the law says the new york produce review the old way was to get up attractive aad often expensive aud high toned stationery posing as commission mer chants quoting prices tor produce higher than could be obtained and guaranteeing phenomenal results based upon claims of exceptional facilities prompt returns would be made for the first few shipments then there would come great praise of the goods and calls for larger quantities then slower returns until enough goods were in the hands of the frauds to make a good sized haul then a general selling out pocketing the proceeds and a fly by night to other fields where the same operation would be gone through un der another name but this was risky business because the laws referring to commission sales are likely to be effective and failure to make proper return may result in ar reet criminal prosecution and perhaps imprisonment the new way is safer the snide does not pose as a commis sion merchant but simply offers to buy produce either on track at shipping station or delivered in the city where he locates he quotes high prices cash payment no commission and as a bait to get goods generally says why pay commission for selling your gooda when you can sell them to us for tha highest market prices without any de except for freights 7 this is attractive bait and there are usually many to bite the book A trial shipment Is made and back come the returns as prompt and as satisfactory as possible other shipments may be paid tor promptly also and as soon aa the shipper s misplaced confidence 1 won he is entreated to make larger shipments then payment begins to fall behind but excuses are made until the indebtedness Is as large as pos elble perhaps notes are given to coas along further shipments but before the notes become due the house falls now as this scheme is worked on a large number of shippers at once as many as can be caught with the bait used the total lings may amount to a good many thousand dollars and the creditors have no redress unless they can get positive proof of fraud which is a most difficult matter and as they can t squeeze water out of a dry sponge and few of them would pur sue the criminals merely for vengeance sake with no hope of getting bach their property or its value the rogue escape probably only to start up again under some different name and do th trick over again the basis of success in these ous operations Is the lack of confidence nc with which many shippers regard th trade there are man who look upon an unusually tempting offer as merely the sign of honesty am integrity they seem to think the corn mission man gets too much out of theli goods and when a man comes along who says he will pay top prices no commission the country chippel seems to say to himself here at last Is an honest man then he bites the bait and gets left it Is best to realize that service in belling goods as in other perform ances cannot be had for nothing there are many honorable merchants ready to receive consignments of prod uce and obtain their full value to whom shipments may be entrusted with the utmost confidence when strangers come with offers to do better U Is safe to suspect fraud until the most careful investigation proves the contrary |
