$30 Year Average Cig.
Bill for Family
PHILADELPHIA-The Curtis Publish-
ing Company's commercial research divis-
;,.,n rP.lP.ased the information this montJ,.
that the average urban family spends a lit-
tle less than $40 a year on tobacco products
and $30 of this is spent for cigarettes.
Figures were based on an analysis of the
Consumer Purchase Survey made by the
government.
In New York City 678 of each 1,000
families are cigarette consumers; in Chi-
cago the figure is 607, and in six other large
cities the average is 555, in 14 middle sized
cities it is 495, and in 29 smaller cities it is
455. The average purchase is reported as
approximately a pack a day for those above
the medium income, and between four and
five packs a week in the lower income
groups.
Curtis deducts that the tobacco products
expenditure is almost equal to that for all
toilet preparations and other personal care,
is twice that for reading material, and more
than half that for amusements and recrea-
tions.
♦
Soft Drink Industry
Growth Remarkable
NEW YORK - A report, released this
week by the Chain Store Research Bureau,
brings to light some startling and unusual
facts concerning the immensity of the soft
drink industry in the United States.
The report discloses that the soft drink
volume has grown from $700,000,000 an-
nually in the pre-war period to $2,000,000,-
000 today, with cola drinks accounting for
$400,000,000, a lion's share of the total. ♦
s
Vending · Machine Fraud Case Ends
With Willard Main Fined $11,000
HOUSTON, Tex. (RC)-Assertedly the
longest and most publicized trial ever held
in the Federal Court of Houston, the case
against Willard F. Main, head of a vend-
ing machine company in Cedar Rapids,
Iowa, was brought to a close here in July.
Main was convicted, by a jury, of con-
spiracy to defraud the public and of using
the mails to defraud through the sale of
coin operated vending machines. Five of
Main's employees were also convicted of
conspiracy and one was held guilty of using
the mails to defraud.
Federal Judge James V. Allred gave
Main a two year suspended sentence and
fined him $11,000. The other six convicted
were given suspended sentences.
Known as the "120 per cent profit case,"
the trial was one of the most sensational
ever held in Houston. According to testi-
mony, the buyers had been promised such
a percentage of profit or their money
would be refunded. No money was ever
refunded and few buyers ever made oper-
ating expenses, according to the evidence
submitted.
Promotion of sales apparently started in
1929 and continued into 1937. An adver-
tisement was inserted in the leading daily
paper of the town chosen for operations.
It would read, "Man wanted to work for
$50 a week." The prospect of a job was
the bait. If applicant for the "job" had
no money, the interviewer would dismiss
him. When an applicant had a reasonable
amount of cash, an effort was made to sell
him fifty or more vending machines, ex-
clusive territory and 120 per cent profit
BEST SELi.ER!
Publishers count the copies of each book they
sell to find out which ones are "Best Sellers"
. . . Record manufacturers count the number
of recordings sold to determine each month's
"Best Sellers" ..•
Vending machine Operators have a habit of
checking each type of machine they have, and
time and again they tell us that MASTERS
catch the public's eye most often . . . sell
more merchandise . . . and dollar for dollar
bring the largest return on their investment of
any vending machine. Get in the "Best Sell-
er" class . . . use the machines that bring in
the most pennies right along . BUY MASTERS.
COIN
MACH/HE
REVIEW
MAILING LISTS
92
108
112
185
102
171
273
M. BRODIE CO.
2182 Pacific Ave., Long Beach, Calif.
Or Write Direct To
553 Wager St., Columbus, Ohio
15
Newly compiled lists of OPERATORS. Worth
many times more than we ask.
1,500 Texas Operators : - - - -- - -.$10.00
298 California Operators
2.00
154 Tennessee Operators
1.00
For further details and prices ask
The Norris Mfg. Co.
guarantee with a promise that he could
buy as many machines on credit as he
bought for cash, and that his investment
was guaranteed by a $10,000 bond.
Five companies were named in the in-
dictment but it was proven in the trial that
all were under one head, one office force
and used one income tax report. It was
asserted that salesmen were warned not to
change letterheads when writing to cus-
tomers.
It was admitted that the company did
change letters of recommendation and that
free machines were given for the trouble
and expense of writing the letter. Gov-
ernment witnesses testified that addresses
were omitted from such letters because the
writer might have had a "change of
mind" after writing the recommendation.
The operations of the group were exten-
sive and covered many states. One adver-
tisement in a Florida paper read: "Mil-
lion dollar company wants man to manage
their own business," and closed with the
words, "Income of $100 or more to start."
None of the witnesses who claimed to ha\le
been defrauded were experienced opera•
tors, nor were there any advertisements in-
troduced that had appeared in any coin
machine trade paper. However, many ad•
vertisements were produced which had
been run in large daily papers and had
been answered by those persons who knew
nothing about the operation of vending
machines.
Scores of witnesses testified that they
had not made anywhere near the guaran-
teed amount, that their money had not
been refunded, their territory had not been
protected, that th ey could not buy any ma-
chines on credit, and that there had been
other breaches in the contract they had
signed.
Main contended that he did not know
his salesmen, and that promoters and
(See FRAUD CASE, page 34)
Master Novelty
PENNY PLAY
Louisiana Operators
1.00
Oklahoma Operators
1.00
Florida Operators
1.00
Mississippi Operators
1.25
Georgia Operators
1.00
Arkansas Operators .............................. 1.25
Operators on Colorado, Utah, Ida-
ho, Arizona, New Mexico, Wash-
ington, Montana ······- -- - -··· .. 1,75
292 Operators in Virginia, West Va.,
N. Car., S. Car., Alabama, Wash-
ington, D. C ..................... _ ____ 2.00
130 Kentucky Operators _ _ _ _ _ 1.00
200 Missouri Operators _ _ _ _ _ 2.00
The above Stales total 3,617 names. This en-
tire list may be had for $17.50. Send remit-
tance with your orders. Lists mailed within 48
hours after orders received. Also Eastern lists
may be had.
SUPREME PRODUCTS CO.
333 N. Mlc:hlga11 Ave.
Chlc:a90, Ill.
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