The Weiser signal. [volume], July 26, 1902, Image 6

About The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904

Image provided by: Idaho State Historical Society

                
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devised to one of. the swindlers by an |
It Is an amazing story-most nmaz- !
Ing. It is the story of the greatest and j
astoundiug fraud of modern !
Story of
Biggest
Bunko
Game
Modern
Times
Swindle
Most
Amazing
What is Justly regarded as the most
stupendous swindle of modern times
baa just come to light In Paris. The
principals iu the swindle have fled aft
er having borrowed $10,000,000 on a
mythical fortune nlleged to have been
American millionaire.
most
times—a twenty million dollar fraud, a
one hundred million franc romance,
concocted In the brains of two shrewd
women who have, lived for twenty
years on the proceeds of the credulity
of those who believed It. Those pro
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KHl. HUMBERT KfTERED PARISIAN SO
CIETY.
ceeds, It Is said today, were at least
$10,000,000 of borrowed money, bor
rowed on the strength of a mythical
fortune locked up In an empty safe.
To begin at the beginning of this
story of a phantom fortune we must go
back twenty years, when a Mr. Henry
Robert Crawford died at Nice after a
lingering Illness, during which he had
been nursed devotedly by a lovely
young French lady, Mile. Therese
d' Aurignac.
In course of time the romantic news
crept out that this Sir. Crawford wus
very much of a millionaire. The figures
100,000,000 francs slipped euslly off the
tongue lu 'mentioning Ills money, and
ms most Americans are reputed In
France to be very rich- It was easy to
believe that he was one of them,
though to tell the truth nobody on this
■ldo of the Atlantic had ever heard of
Henry Robert Crawford, the million
aire. . .
When It was found that the grateful
man had left his entire estate to the
devoted little mademoiselle who nursed
him In his Inst Illness, it seemed such a
natural thing to do that tho matter
was accepted ns of course. Mile. The
reso; d' Aurignac was looked upon as a
very lucky young woman. Fortune
smiled upon her. She married M.
Frederick Humbert,
ex-deputy for
SclnC niul Marne mid son of M. Hum
bert, minister of justice ln M. de Frey
clnot's cabinet of 1382. She entered
Parisian society ns one who had rights
both of birth nnd money—particularly
money—and when she asked for eredlt,
cher story having been published and
being public property, it was showered
upon her.
But now there come upon the scone
•new actors. There are a Mr. Henry
•Crawford aud n Mr. Robert Crawford,
Americans, either of whom was as rich
as the deceased Robert Henry Craw
ford, and to neither of whom were ten
millions or so of any particular object.
But they brought with them a last will
and testament of the deceased Robert
-Henry Crawford, nnd they said that
tor the principal of the thing they must
demand that Its provisions be carried
out.
By this will Mine. Humbert received
» mere bagatelle of rii annuity of 36.
O00 franca. The remainder of the Im
mense fortune wus to be divided In
three equal portions, one for Mr. Rob
ert Crawford, one for Mr. Henry Craw
ford and one for Mme. Humbert's little
■later, Mile. Marie d'Aurigtiac. Here
was a complication, to be sure!
The Crawford* were generous. One
of the heirs said he would marry the
first heiress and thus keep the money
In the family and not bother the courts
about the matter. When It was pointed
out that Mme. Humbert was married
already, he said all right — he would
wait till the little sister grew up aud
marry her instead. This served to keep
matters In statu quo for several years,
during which the Humberts borrowed
assiduously, and the banks and trust
companies and merchants lent with ■
glad heart. Whenever they grew weary
of lending or began to talk of reim
bursement the legal romance assumed
a new phase.
At eighteen the young Mile. d'Aurl
gnae refused to marry the Crawford
heir to whom she was pledged. This
raised s terrible hullabaloo. The heirs
at once announced very publicly
through their counsel that they would
now contest the Crawford will. A bat
tle wm begun which lasted, as legal
battles will when both lawyers and
clients are willing, for years. It has
not been finished yet. There were de
clsions one way and decisions the
other way. There were appeals and
counter appeals. The cose appeared to
have no ending.
And throughout these appesls and
counter appeals and counter counter
appeals no one ever saw Robert or
Henry Crawford, the litigants. It Is re
membered now that they never made
an appearance In court. Everything
was ([one through attorneys. And still
the money was borrowed.
All this time It was universally un
derstood that the securities represent
lng the Immense fortune of the late
Mr. Crawford lay snugly ensconced in
a burglar proof safe in the mansion of
the Humberts. Ry a mutual agree
ment, It was given out, the different
parties to the controversy were content
to let them remain there until the
courts rendered final judgment on the
claims. Once a year, so the pretty ro-v
mance went, the different parties, with
their solicitors, opened the safe and
counted the securities and locked them
up again when it was found that they
were all correct But ofie thing was
made manifest to all outsiders inter
ested In the Humbert-Crawford mil
lions. If Mme. Humbert touched any
of those securities, she forfeited all
right to their possession. This was
nominated in the bond.
But now the drama hastens to a
tragic end. Mcsstb. Girard & Co. have
loaned to Mme. Humbert on her myth
ical expectations the sum of 0,200,000
francs. They are her heaviest creditors.
They have lent the money at usurious
rates, as did all who fell victim to the
woman's specious story. She contested
the suit for repayment, and M. Girard,
the banker, committed suicide In de
spair of ever seeing Ills money again.
The liquidator then applies to M. Wnl
deck-Rousseau as a barrister. The lat
ter goes to Roubaix and In his plead
ing describes the affair as n monster
swindle. He gets n Judgment for the
Humberts to repay 2,500,000 francs to
the liquidator of the Girard bank, and
the tribunal also orders the contents of
the famous safe to be taken possession
of. The Humberts, however, settle with
the creditors, and the safe remains in
tact. But how was this arranged? The
barrister who was then acting for the
Humberts, but Is no longer doing so,
one of the most respectable men at the
bar, Is said to have advanced the 2,500.
000 francs.
This staves off disclosure for a time,
but only for a time. The statements
made by M. Waldeck-Rousseau have
started the worm of suspicion. Other
creditors take the alarm. There Is a
demand upon the courts, the govern
ment to order the opening of the fa
mous safe and the disclosure of the
millions which are supposed to be hid
den In It. Permission Is at last granted.
The safe Is to be opened at 1 p. m. on
a certain day. At 10 a. m. there are
300 persons before the door. At 1 there
are 1,000. The official personages ar
rive. They demand entrance. Where
are M. and Mme. Humbert? They
not at home. They have fled, It Is said,
to England or the United States. The
safe is forced open.
It Is a good safe. It takes the lock
smiths five hours to open it. And what
are
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NOTHING WAS FOUND IN THE SAFE.
do they find? Nothing! Nothing worth
mentioning—some dusty old papers of
no value, a rusty buckle and a few dis
carded envelopes. That Is all. When
the news reaches the crowd in the
street, the people hold their breath
with horror and amazement. They re
alize then, at least they believe, that
they stand In the shadow of the great
est, the most gigantic swindle of the
age.
Now that It Is all over people
talking about the colossal stupidity of
the losers aud the incredible credulity
which enabled them to believe the
mance of these shrewd women and to
advance vast sums without making
more careful Investigation as to the
standing of the mythical Crawfords.
But greed was ever stupid, and the
easiest way In all the world to make
money is to touch the pocket nerve of
the Intended victim and make him be
lieve he is going to get something for
DO th lug.
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OUR PICTORIAL PUZZLE DEPARTMENT.
Can you find the hidden picture?
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FIND TWO HIDDEN BIRDS.
Saves a Woman's Life
To have given up would have
meant death to Mrs Lois Cragg, of
Dorchtster, Ma«s For years she
had endured untold misery from a
severe lung trouble and obstinate
cough. •'Often" she writes, "I could
scarcely breathe and sometimes could
not speak. All doctors and reme
dies failed until I used Dr. King's
New Discovery for Consumption and
was completely cured." Sufferers
from Coughs, Colds, Throat and
Lung Trouble need this grand rem
edy, for it never disappoints: Cure
is guaranteed, by Davis Drug Co.
Price 50 cents and $1.00 Trial
bottles free.
KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.
SanFrauciseo, Cal., August 12-14,1902
For above occasion the foliowiug
rates are authorized from Weiser:
To San Francisco and return: via
Ogden, $53.50; via Portland and
rail, $38.00;
steamer, $33.00; going via Portland
and returning via Ogden or vice
versa, $46.00.
To Los Angeles and return: Via
Ogden, $53.50; via Portland and
rail, $60 00; Going via Ogden and
returning via Portland and Hunt
ington or vice versa, $46.00.
via Portland and
Tickets on sale August 4th io 9th
inclusive, final return limit Septem
ber 25th.
Stop overs allowed in
either direction.
J. W. Lapish, Agent.
Luncheon in Denver To-day, Dinner iu
Chicago Tomorrow,
made possible "The Moun
'ain Limited," via Rock Island
Route. Leaves Denver 1 p. m. and
Colorado Springs 1:20 p. m. daily
Free chair cars and dining cars for
all meals. Mid-dav luncheon, fifty
cents
No. SR
Pacific & Idaho
Northern R'y
ONLY DIRECT
RAIL ROUTE
KROM WEISER. IDAHO, TO
Kuthburg, Heath, and the celebrated Seven
Devin Copper mine«. Payette Lake», Middle
Salubria, and Long Valleys, Salmon River Mea
dows, and Gold Placer Diggings,
When traveling west in search of a new home,
stop off at Welser. Idaho, take a trio over the
Pacific A Idaho Northern Railwav to above sec
tion of country, and Investigate Its
sources.
many re
You will not be disappointed.
DKLÏGHTKUL CLIMATE.
Cool nitfht breezes from the snow-capped moun
tains, ranking sleep refreshing.
MALARIA.
PURE MOUNTAIN WATKR.
Plenty of excellent unoccupied government
land, abundance of merchantable timber no
failure of orops.
N
TRAIN SCHRDULK
Dep. Dally
fix.Sunday
8:U0 a. 10 .
Arr. Dally
fix. Sunday
3:30 p. m.
Weiser.
Middle Vail«)
Cambridge
Council
Rate« and further information furnished
application.
10:85 **
11:26 a. in
1:25
12:26 "
upon
„ P. P. SHELBY.
Geuoral Man&vt-r. Weiier. Id»hn.
K Can't help
Kodol
Dyspepsia Cure
Digests what you eat. !
This preparation contains all of the
digestants and digests all kinds of
food. It gives Instant rellefand never
falls tocurc. It allows vou to eat all
the food you want. The most sensitive
stomachs can take It. By its use many
thousands of dyspeptics have been
cured nfter everything else failed. It
prevents formation of gas on the stom
ach, relieving all distress after eating.
Dieting unnecessary. Fleasant to take.
I
but do you go«d
Propftrodonlv by E. O. DbWitt k Oo., Ohlcaga
The L bouU contains lyfc Uioec Me.
Repairing of every kind at my
gun and cycle shop. B. E. Jenney.
i
Robert
Bonner
knew a good
story as well as
a good horse.
One of his fa
vorites and one
which made the
Ledger famous
in the old days
was "The Gun
maker of Mos
cow," by Syl
vanusCobb, jr.,
one of the best
writers of serial
stories the world
has known.
It deals with the hopes,
aspirations. and life of
the people of Russia
and enables the reader
to account for the dis
satisfaction of the Rus
sians today.
We are pleased to an
nounce that this story
will be published in
these columns beginning
soon.
The
Gun
Maker
Of
Mos
COW
Watch for the
Opening Chapters
I
Committees are Welcome
We like to see committee* at
onr office—committees who are looking for printing.
Never yet saw a printing committee which wasn't open to suggestions 1
We want to be the one to make these suggestions.
We want to see at our office the printing committee from
social organization
every lodge, club, society, church or
We want to show you the way we print invitations, programs, membership blanks, application
blanks, constitutions and by laws—in fact, all the one hundred and one kinds of society printing which
is usually so badiy done and which could be made so attractive.
Are you on a committee?
Then this is a special invitation for your committee to come to our office and let us help you with
our ideas.
Your knowledge of your wants with our knowledge of good printing will produce something
you, your committee and the society you represent can be proud of.
Committee printing is the kind of printing we art looking for.
Our prices are not high.
which
The printing part costs as much as anybody wonld charge, and we buy
paper, type and other things of the best quality that can be had. The thing comes out even as far
price is concerned, but you get the benefit of better printing.
our
H8
Cbe iUeiser Signal
OPP & DAVIS,
Dealers iu all kinds of
ROUGH
AND
DRESSED
Lath,' Shingles, Sash, Doors, Blinds, Etc.
WHiBinn.
ID
Æg.
. ■ ;
IHÏ
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n
[a
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e^THE VENDOME
The Traveling Public will find this to he the most convenient aa well as t
most comfortable and respectable hotel in the city.
EXPERIENCED WHITE COOKS.
Sample Rooms, magnificent Bar and Billiard Rooms, and Barber Shop, wl
hot or cold baths, connected with hotel.
COAKLEY BROTHERS, Proprietors.
Thunder Mountain?
Are you inter
ested in the
new Klondike,
If so. take U
SIGNAL for
correct newi
W H Yw
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Mid-day Luncheon,
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