FRUIT SWINDLING
Last Saturday morning, a man named Cheesman, proprietor of a fruit store at the corner of Market and Second streets, purchased quantities of fruit from different dealers, and in the afternoon, after taking an inventory of his wares, sold out his whole establishment for one thousand dollars. In order to avert suspicion, he paid a month's advance on his room rent on Friday, and conducted himself in all respects as if he had made up his mind to remain in San Francisco a century. However, notwithstanding his subtle diplomacy, his creditors began to suspect him of an intention to defraud them, and when the places which knew him once got to knowing him no more, shortly they grew alarmed and fell to searching for him. They sought him from Saturday night until Tuesday, and finally found him. He began to play himself for an honest man, at once, and declared his willingness to pay his debts. They took him to Justice Cornwall's office, and made him disgorge the money he had with him, seven hundred and fifty dollars, after which, by authority of a writ served for that purpose, they submitted him to a rigid examination. The seven hundred and fifty dollars was deposited in Court; he went there yesterday morning, with his lawyer, and tried to substitute green-backs for the amount, but the Judge refused to permit it, and said it must remain as it was, for distribution among the creditors. Suits have been commenced against Cheesman by those who loved him and trusted him, and got burnt at it. They do not love him so much now. He owes about twelve hundred dollars for fruit, and six hundred dollars borrowed money. His indebtedness for fruit is distributed among a large number of dealers, in bills ranging from three dollars up to two hundred and thirty dollars.
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