"Financial Ideas Worth $5000 to You - If You Can Comprehend Them!" Published in 1904. Price ten cents.
1940 copyrights of LA: copyrights "Direct way to business betterment."
Even if he could have performed modern equivalent of miracle of loaves and fishes, the feat could not have solved poverty.
1863 MI business register
1883-8-08 (Angola Steuben Republican) Playing ss for Park nine
1883-8-29 (Angola Steuben Republican) Playing ss for Park nine
1883-12-12 "came down from Reading last Saturday to see the boys." 1884-8-13 ASR - is now with Lexington KY team - recently of Park club of Pleasant Lake IN
1885-10-21 ASR - has been pitching trial game for Detroits
1886-2-03 Well known as the pitcher for the Park club of Pleasant Lake - has signed with Detroit
1886-2-06 Taking daily gymnasium practice w/others including Getzien
1886-3-20 Yesterday before a crowd of 1500 beat Macon 21-0
1886-4-08 Called the Detroit phenom - dropped by MG Watkins and signed with Macon.
1886-4-14 (Angola Steuben Republican) Asked for release from Detroits and granted it - has signed with Savannah GA.
1886-9-14 (St. Paul Globe) Released by St. Paul - they signed One Arm Daily in his place.
1886-9-19 (St. Paul Globe) As a parting gift was fined $50 for losing the game of 9-12.
1887-9-15 Started for Milwaukee v. Eau Claire - "He had hardly any control over the ball, and was being batted freely by the Eau Claire men."
1887-9-17 Started for Duluth v. La Crosse - "was so wild that Morken was substituted."
1887-10-19 (Angola Steuben Republican) Has returned to his home in Reading Mich., having completed season with St. Joseph MO.
1887-10-19 (Angola Steuben Republican) Won 26-10 game for Parks
1888-5-13 Has signed contract with Jackson. [Tri-State League]
1888-7-11 (Angola Steuben Republican) Will pitch for Reading. Admission ten cents.
1888-7-18 Pitched for Reading & lost 16-4 to Angola Grays
1888-8-08 Played 2b & lead off for Pleasant Lake in game v. Angola Grays. 800 ATT.
1888-9-12 With Pleasant Lake, Ind - 2b-p - 1600 ATT.
1888-9-19 (Angola Steuben Republican) Is now playing with Jackson
1888-9-26 Played for Angola along with other Pleasant Lake players - 2b
1889-12-04 (Angola Steuben Republican) "on the road selling fruit trees"
1893-1-27 (Owosso MI Times) Agency of American Express Co. in Owosso turned over by J.M. Beckwith to OK Fitzsimmons.
1893-6-30 (Owosso MI Times) Agent of American Express Co. Has handled about 400 crates of strawberries so far this season.
1894-6-08 (Owosso MI Times) A member of Silver Dandruff Cure Co.
1900-12-06 Arrived in Victoria on steamer from Vancouver
1901-5-08 "The boys will this season have the benefit of a first-class coach, O.K. Fitzsimmons, formerly of the Detroit club in the National League, and the Denver club in the Western League, having kindly volunteered to coach the team. The presence of an old hand like Mr. Fitzsimmons should be of great assistance to the boys."
1901-7-08 "The Victoria team has a capable coach in the person of Mr. Fitzsimmons. He is an experienced and level-headed enthusiast, and knows what is wanted an emergency crops up."
1911-2-19 Recollections of a game from 1886. George Baldwin k'd 18 and Fitzsimmons k'd 12.
1903-2-27 Reprint of LA Herald interview with Fitzsimmons
1903-5-14 Times reiterates disapproval
1903-6-14 LA Times declares him a "brazen blasphemer"
1903-6-16 LA Times: "The most amazing freak of so-called 'religious journalism,' up to date, is the Federation Herald of Los Angeles with Jesus Christ on one side of the front cover - and Orlando K. Fitzsimmons on the other."
1903-6-20 LA Post-Record devotes a page to sarcasm about Times' attack.
"A turgid sample : "Someone rather appropriately called [the Cumulative Credit Company] 'A 25th Century Banking Institution,' intimating that it is 500 years ahead of its time. But Mr. Orlando K. Fitzsimmons, the president of the company, says that it is not ahead of its time, but has arrived just at the opportune time, contending that no great movement comes ahead of its time."
1903-6-24 LA Times w/cartoon of St. Orlando and more critiques.
1903-6-24 LA Times: He's the only get-rich-quick man to call himself the second Christ.
1903-6-26 Fresno Morning Republican heaps venom on get-rich-quick fakers
1902-11-27 Address = 512 Bradbury Building, Cor. Third and Broadway.
1903-2-27 Challenges critics to a debate - calls them things
1903-11-11 Their advertisements continued to appear in the
Post-Record; Saint Orlando's ad of November 11, 1903, headed "Money Making As a Science," claimed that the Cumulative Credit Company had "paid out over $100,000 in benefits to its patrons at an average profit over 200 per cent per year."
1903-11-14 Ad in LA Post-Record.
1903-9-09 LA Times. The Federation Herald, Fitzsimmons-worshipping paper run by the Rev. E.H. Brooks, is now defunct.
Last issue publishes creed, beginning "I believe in Orlando K. Fitzsimmons."
Fewer people are falling for Cumulative Credit.
1904-1-06 Times. Under investigation by grand jury. "That it is a real good business - for the company - has been apparent for some time. The offices on Broadway are extensive, well appointed, and in a measure luxurious, and the cost of keeping the broad span of window space in such a polished condition that the suckers may see themselves as they pass cannot be a trifle."
Fitzsimmons = president, Johnson = secretary
Since beginning they have issued 46,000 certificates on weekly plan - or, about $46,000 a week.
The certificates promise at their maturation to entitle the bearer to $2 for every week - "Provided that there shall be sufficient money in said Mutual Benefit Credit Fund available for that purpose to pay said amount." If there ain't - oh well!
Need to constantly find new suckers or else will collapse.
1904-2-08 Times. Have modified contracts in accordance with wishes of Assistant Attorney.
1904-2-11 Times. Continues to use mail even tho grace period has elapsed.
1904-2-24 Times. On Febr. 22 Assistant United States Attorney-General declares company is a fraud. The comparisons it made between itself and life insurance companies were declared false and misleading. The United States government declares the company a fraud and bars it from using the mail. No letters addressed to it will be delivered, nor may it give or receive money with postal money orders.
Fitzsimmons declares himself and his associates to be martyrs; intones that the rights of his patrons are being suppressed.
1904-3-14 Evening Express. Judge Wellborn of US Circuit Court explains how 30% of the $80 paid in is set aside for the company, leaving only $56 to pay the $160 due to the patron. The shortfall must be made up by new suckers.
1904-3-25 Positively no mail to company or principals shall be delivered.
1904-5-08 Times. Fraud order revoked on understanding that he no longer uses such methods.
1904-6-16 (Cedar Rapids Gazette) Cumulative Credit has opened an office in Cedar Rapids. Cedar Rapids is their "state office."
Describes the book Archive has.
Quotes plan.
"it is inane stuff, to say the least."
1904-12-10 Stockton Evening Mail. Office is like a bank; has a way with words and could talk you to death; has recently opened office in SF.
1905-1-07 W/pic. Is in SF being shadowed by officers who are prepared to arrest him. Has continued to try to use the mail for fraudulence.
1905-1-08 Was arrested yesterday. Held for $5K bond. Gave name as Adolph.
1905-1-09 Has a new book out called "Financial Ideas." Different from 1904 book that's on Archive.
"In large type upon one of the cover pages the seeker after financial knowledge is informed that "We need not worry about the sun's cooling off, nor the depopulation of the earth, neither need we fear the time when the Cumulative Credit system will commence to retrograde, for that is only when its blessings have covered the entire earth, and there are no more people to reach."
On page nineteen he draws a verbal "likeness" of himself:
"Here is the staunch business man. Through the broad shoulders and fully-developed chest can be seen great physical endurance, while the keen, bright eyes, the clear-cut features and strong, heavy jaw indicate executive ability and the indomitable will power that has characterized his life.
"But these qualities, valuable as they are to the head of a great enterprise, are not sufficient to carry to successful issue the stupendous plans conceived by him. To these must be added those of the philosopher and teacher - the man who can conceive a great idea, and present it intelligently to the masses."
1905-1-21 SF Call & Post. A poem he wrote in response to "persecution" is reprinted. He considers himself the 20th century Ben Franklin.
1905-2-12 SF Call & Post. Suing wife, Mary, for divorce on grounds of cruelty.
Had evaded mail stoppage by directing patrons to write him "at a certain room number of a certain downtown business block" "addressed to a fictitious Chinaman."
On 1904-9-01, as new suckers were slowing, issued new contracts that matured after 40 weeks, not 80. Will mature 1905-5-01.
But! Fitzsimmons has announced that he will "change all contracts to fraternal insurance contracts; all contracts that do not mature by May 1, 1905, will be changed to fraternal life insurance contracts, payable at death."
The new contracts cannot be sold or transferred. Company will pay $30 a year on them for the next three years and at the end of the three years pay $180 back - and at the bearer's death will pay back $2 for $1. This is how he hopes to survive.
1905-4-26 SF Chronicle. If he secures a divorce, will pay wife $3K + $100/month, plus custody of their child Virginia. Applied for divorce on grounds of desertion.
1905-4-29 LA Evening Express. Cumulative Credit company suspends business by order of sheriff.
1905-4-30 SF Call & Post. Has not paid $6500 to former stockholder M.E. Johnson
1905-5-02 LA Times - another suit begun, this one against Orlando personally.
1905-5-09 SF Call & Post. Divorce granted for desertion.
1905-6-20 Times. Court calendar was overfull with cases; his must be postponed to the coming term.
1905-8-09 Times. On 8-07, F.B. Parker, Fitzsimmons' local manager of the Cumulative Credit Company, was sentenced to a year in jail and a thousand-dollar fine "for sending sucker bait through the mails."
1905-8-24 Times. Man driven insane by loss from company.
Fitzsimmons is now in Chicago, and has just issued a new booklet called "What Has Been Done and Why."
1905-9-17 Returned yesterday from the east. Will be tried 9-21.
1905-9-21 Difficulty finding jurors for trial. Took up Chinese pseudonym for letter-writing
1905-9-26 Evening Express. (p.1) Found guilty on six counts. Gives account of what the court said.
Pastor of Magnolia Avenue Congregational Church testified that what Fitzsimmons did was "all right and honest."
1905-9-29 Evening Express. Found guilty. Judgement could be up to nine years in jail + $9K fine.
1905-9-29 Post-Record: "the man who conceived the brilliant scheme of bettering the condition of the poor by giving them $100 for $50"
1905-10-10 LA Times. Convicted on eight counts of using US mail to further lottery scheme. Sentenced for six months - no fine. His associates were fined $250 each w/o jail time. The three are appealing their mild punishment.
1905-10-10e Fresno. Case is appealed. Released on bond of $4K. No fine.
1905-10-10 LA Evening Express says he was fined $250.
1905-11-16 Cumulative Credit company shares can be exchanged for shares in Fitzsimmons' new company, the Economic Relief Society. "Fitzsimmons is out on bond, awaiting a rehearing on appeal."
1906-2-03 Review of Metamorphose by Fresno Morning Republican. Gives a summary of the low opinion he is held in. Quotes from book.
1906-3-15 "Metamorphose" is being distributed as free copies by World Betterment Society, Fitzsimmons' new organization in Buffalo.
1906-6-20 Buffalo Courier Express. Betterment World League [sic] held first meeting 6-18; has 30 members. Buffalo is league's birthplace.
1906-7-26 Chicago Tribune. World Betterment League has opened new and "'scrumptiously'" furnished offices in Chicago.
Dr. Axel Gustafson is president of league.
Meeting was attended by twelve people who gave unimpressive responses.
1906-8-17 World Betterment League has 87 members in Chicago.
1906-10-04 Buffalo Times. DA Abbott will investigate World Betterment League.
"According to the Fitzsimmons circulars $780 thus judiciously invested would bring the investor a life income of $30 a month. Two hundred or more followers were gained. The slogan of the organization was "Do to others what others do to you."
"Money reached the World Betterment Association's offices, but the golden harvest promised did not make an appearance. The people who had joined became restless and suspicious. Some of this spirit must have been communicated to Fitzsimmons, for one morning, when some of the faithful called at the executive offices they found that Fitzsimmons had left Buffalo."
1907-1-20 LA Herald. "H. Aylmer Harding, the soulful psychic who parts his hair and his name on the side, has entered a new field of activity.
"Haylmer is now the agent of Orlando K. Fitzsimmons of cumulative credit infamy."
Engaged in selling book advocating the World Betterment League; to enter the League you must be in the "Golden Rule fraternity."
Golden Rule Fraternity has office in Chamber of Commerce.
"After his conviction Fitzsimmons dropped out of sight, but developments show that he has located in Buffalo, N.Y., where he is one of the leading lights in the World Betterment league and the Golden Rule fraternity, of which Harding is the manager in Los Angeles."
Harding tells reporter that Fitzsimmons was undone by the conspiring of mirky insurance men who could not stand to see the huge dividends he paid out.
Frontispiece of book has pic of Fitzsimmons.
"From 50 to 150 per cent. is the promised yearly dividends on the money contributed, but as yet no explanations have been made as to who pays the freight. The scheme opens by the person who wants to get rich quick joining the World Betterment league, which, it is explained, is purely a fraternal and educational organization, and for which the dues amount to only $5 per annum.
"After proving his fitness for fellowship in a higher order the member of the World Betterment league can become a 'contributing member' of the Golden Rule fraternity. In this institution no contribution of less than $5 per month is accepted and presumably the limit is the ability of the member to pay.
"There is to be an "accumulated surplus" from which first-year members are to receive not less than 50 per cent and not more than 150 per cent on their first year's contributions, and second-year members not less than 100 per cent nor more than 150 per cent on their second year's contributions."
1907-3-10 (Chicago Tribune) Will lecture on "The New Economical System"
1907-10-08 SF Call & Post. Convicted by LA district court for using mails for lottery scheme.
"The victim was required to pay in $1 a week until the 'maturity' of the contract, when the victim was to receive $2 a week up to a total of $160."
Court finds this to be a lottery scheme, as the difference between pay-in and pay-out must be met by chance.
The lucidity of this judgement is refreshing. In contrast to some newspapers we could name.
Tho a little odd. It was really a ponzi scheme, not a lottery.
1907-11-18 Sentenced to six months in jail. Some are still paying into the company.
1907-11-19 Says scheme was that each subscriber would put in $100 a month - after a drawing some lucky subscribers would get $150. A lottery. "The company depended on the delinquency of the poorer subscribers and the catching of fresh dupes in large numbers to keep the farce up. Many people of small means suffered when the inevitable break came."
I think this account is confused.
1908-5-16 Too poor to pay $250 fine; applying for forgiveness of debt under pauper convict laws.
1909-8-22 SF Call & Post. Memories of Orlando K. Had a persuasive tongue. Went from city to city.
1910-9-11 SF Call & Post: Had a sweet office before nailed by postal inspectors.
1913-4-17 Metamorphose listed in ad; price 60 cents.
1914-10-29 Indicted. Lists him as being of Vancouver.
1914-10-30 (Oregon Daily Journal) Secretary of National Mercantile company - indicted with other members of the company for using the mails for a lottery. Company also has offices in Seattle, Portland, and Tacoma.
