New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-05-18
THE ALEXANDER MYSTERY
MONEY THAT WAS TAKEN FROM THE PERSON
OF A DYING MAN.

The examination in the matter of the
estate of the late Captain John Alexander
| was resumed yesterday morning before Sur
rogate HutchiDgs. The deceased gentleman
it may be remembered. was supposed to
have been worth considerable amount oil
| money. For some time before his death in
March, 1869, he boarded with a family
| named Gardiner. in Harlem, while his
children lived in New Orleans. After his
death, which was sudden, to say the least Of
it, one of his daughters, Mrs Burke. came
on to New York, and claimed that her father
died worth great deal OF property in the
shape of bonds etc., and that he had those
bonds with him when he boarded with the
GARDENERS, and down to the time of his
death. This the GARDENERS denied, or at
least they denied all knowledge ofthe matter,
and Mrs. Burke then advertised certain
bonds of which she claimed that her father
died possessed The matter was then ap-
parentiy passed over for some time, and it
then became notorious that the GARDENERS,
who to all appearances were poor people,
had suddenly become rich.
Mrs. Burke's suspicious were further
aroused by this circumstance, and she de-
termined TO push the thing through in order,
if possible, to have the property returned to
the righful heirs. But the investigation
proved fruitless until yesterday, when the
following rather strange developments were
brought to light. The first witness was
Garry G Graft, who was examined by Mr..
Redfeid. She testified as follows:
l am the wife of Joseph W. Graft; knew
John Alexander; he resided in the same
house with me: he died on the twentieth of
March, 1869. on Friday; he was about seven
ty-seven years of age; he was taken sick on
Sunday: on Thursday night before he died.
at about twelve O'Clock, l stood by his bed
side with my mother, and took a pair of
scissors and cut from his neck, while he
was in bed, a canvas bag which contained
papers; there WAS only one bag; 1t was tied
with a small string; the contents of the bag
were counted by DR.. Bockway in the
morning, at about four O'Clock; when it
was counted, my husband, DR.. Bockway,
my mother, and myself were present; did
not then hear what the amount WAS but |
have since learned through the newspapers;
remained with my brother unil June, and
then went to housekeeping; remember
person representing himself as a friend of
Alexander's, calling to inquire about what
he had left: he stated the amount to be from
$50 600 to $40, 600.
said nothing; he said the contents of the
bag stated how much it was: l do not re-
member when this was; l have q brother in
the Assay Office in this city; do not know
that he ever negotiated any of those bonds;
l have no knowledge On the subject; never
said TO any one that my father had come into
his own again, and had made me handsome
presents; do not know Mr.. and Mrs. Mil.
ner, at West Farms.
Q,-When you vent up to West Farms to
obtain your furniture did you not see Mr..
Miner? A-No, sir; l do not know any
person By that name; my husband rented
carriage house that belonged to Professor
Woods; if Dir. Miner occupied his (my
house, did not know that that
was his name: we stored our furniture there
a year; there was SIPS, l think, in money
found on Captain Alexander when he died.
James W. Graft examined: am husband
of the last witness; knew Alexander about
eleven years; lived in the same house with
him two years; am a printer; was formerly
agent for a pen company; was not present
when Captain Alexander died; saw him the
morning he dled about eight O'Clock; Mr..
Gardiner, Mrs. Graft, and DIR. Brockway
were present; WAS there about two hours
before his death; was present when the con
tents of the bag were counted by DR.. Brock
way; oversaw the counting; was not pres
ent when the bag was taken from
he captains neck; Immediately after the
counting the contents were placed in tbs
)4g and it was handed over TO MIS-. Gar |
liner; never saw the bag afterwards; the |
contents of the bag were bonds: think |
here were Missouri State bonds, California |
State bonds, United States bonds, Virginia |
State bonds, and Brooklyn water loan scrip; |
never was in the bonds brokerage business: |
lever had anybody bequesthe me or |
ny wife any bonds which were subse- |
luently lost; conversed about stolen bonds |
With man in Jay Cookies office, with whom |
was acquainted, and was referred by him |
o another broker; went to Manning & De |
Forrest, and inquired of them if they had |
ist of lost bonds; made the inquiry simply |
because l wanted to know; Mrs. Burke had |
lot. advertised lost bonds at the time, but |
new she claimed to have lost bonds; went |
here to inquire if she had advertised Ger !
ain bonds.
Question.-Why was that information de-
irable to you?
Answer because she had claimed so
arge an amount, and presumed that she
7ould Immediately go to, work and adver-
Use them.
l know two brothers by the name of Held;
let them frequently in Harlem; they are
bird avenue, near 125th street; never
layed faro in my life; never asked the
[elds to sell any of those bonds for me;
sked my brother in law, Charles S. West
oft, to sell. some bonds for ne; offered also
United States bond for sale; did not
now who sold these bonds; am editor and
ublisher OF the Harlem Times, and an in
he job printing business too; have had fire.
uent conversations with Rosa King; asked
ID Mr.. Gardiner about his giving his pock-
book to Rosa King to keep, and he stated
me that it was a common custom with
i'm when going up stairs to sleep to leave
is poke hook with her, and to say, Rosa,
ok after my pocket book;" have been edi-
n of a newspaper since October last; went
housekeeping since Aexander's death:
lie amount Of the bonds in the bag was
200
BY Mr. Cooke-I had Virginia bond for
lie, which | offered to my brother it was
lie that had belonged to Captain A e.xander,
hich he had presented to my wife about
week before his death.
By Mr.. Red6eld-I was present when it
as presented to her; it was in his sick
ON on the Monday before his death; he
Is taken sick on Sunday; he gave her four
nds which were not among those that
re counted from the bag; that was about
rec in the afternoon; he was il bed sick;
was called into the room by my wife for
c purpose of witnessing the donation, and {
e handed the bonds to me; | conversed
tn Captain Alexander; there was a
e-twenty United States bond for $1,000,
Virginia bond for the same amount,
o Brooklyn Water bonds for the same
lount each, $4,000 in all; they have
been disposed of; the five-twenty
nd was sold year az by nv brother;
posted all these bonds with my brother,
Irien Graft; deposited them with him
out the first of May; 1 never told Mrs:
rke or her counsel, when they demanded
9 bonds, that had given these four bonds
my wife; knew that Mrs. Burke was
king after these bonds, aud l knew that
" finally advertised them; ] never told
;. or Mrs. Gardiner that my wife had these
nds: Mr. G 4rdiner knows it now for the ,
IT time, and Mrs. Gardiner does not. even ,
ow it now. because she is not present;
Ither I nor my wife ever told
or Mrs Gardiner that nv wife had