KinSource - Tale of the Week - A Swindler Abroad

KinSource

Minnesota Tales

The St. Paul Daily Globe, May 11, 1880, p. 4

A Swindler Abroad.

James Elgan, former proprietor of the planing mill recently destroyed by fire, has packed his grip sack and left for parts unknown. According to the accounts given of his numerous operations in this city, he was a decidely active and very unscrupulous fellow. A short time since he induced Samuel A. Sims to take a partnership in the sawdust foundry, representing that there was millions in it, and on the strength of his talk Mr. Sims invested $300. At this time he represented that the mill was worth $4,500, and that he had $6,000 reserve money in Illinois. He also gave Mr. C. Allison an interest in the bonanza for the insignificant sum of $100. Besides this he gave his I. O. U. to one of the workmen in the mill for $80. The latter still holds the note. He then drew a check on the First National bank for $44, knowing that the amount to the credit of the firm at that time amounted to $2. Having collected all the money he could in St. Paul he hied him to Minneapolis, where he succeeded in negotiating a loan for $270. After this he collected $35 of the firm's money and skipped. He lit out a day or two after the fire, since when his whereabouts is one of those things which no fellah can find out. It appears that he also played the role of the gay Lothario, having passed himself off as a benedict in this city, while he has a wife and child residing in Minneapolis. It is thought there are other counties still to hear from.