New-York tribune., 1872-09-17
LOCAL MISCELLANY.


A SERIES OF INGENIOUS AND SUCCESSFUL SWIM
DIING OPFRATIONS-LINKS IN A REMAkh-
ABLE CHAIN OF CRIME.
The recent arrest of Charles b. Orvlss mas
brought 10 light series of swindling operations un-
naraileed in their audaclty and unexamped in their
success Every hour Of the past few days the name OF
new victim has been mentioned, and the mass OF eyi-
denoe rolling up against the gang bids fair to reveal
perfect chain OF crime the links OF which nave peen
forging for several years To form any idea OF the u
extent Of their operations is at present impossoie as
many have been vctimized by the gang VINO are uh"h
ling TO acknowledge it, and circumstances Indicate that
some VINO have suffered their hands nave a'erWaiu
,oned the gang and become less guilty though far
loss successful the ringleaders themselves IWoor
three OF the chief criminals only have been arrested
although others will probably meet the same fate;
limits OF the operations OF the gang viii perhaps never
be reached by the officers of justice.
Orviss the rincleader formerly lived in Indiana but
went thence Toronto Canada where he did business
a. al emgraut agent lie finally came to NewHork ana
became associated with several Others including Will
am Bushnell, T. f. Halleck, a. NJ. Miller and General
Thompson A large number Of others are mentioned,
and believed by many of the victims TO have been
directly connected with the concern, though it Is now
impossible TO establish the guilt OF the worst OF them
These It is alleged. were only few OF the principal
ngeader az the time of the organization Of the swim
ding firms and since that time many additions have
been made Among the earliest of their operations was
the opening OF a restaurant at the southwest
corner Of Thirtiethst and Eghth-ave. For tins
saloon Oryiss paid $1,000 or S,lOO and gave
Ms note for $500 The swndlers then opened
tho restaurant and proceeded TO buy butter sugar -FOUR
meat aud various provisions credit in the neghbor-
hood few days ago the propretOrs absconded, eav-
ing cr creditors 20 for the Of the restau-
rant wherever they could find them. The propretors
had hoped 20 make handsome profit by selling out be-
fore they were obliged TO leave the premises but nndng
no byers they faied 10 make 5000 OF 5000 as they
expected.
They also opened a second restaurant a. No. l27
Graud-st and paid for II with paper when was alVeI
ward found to be worthless. Aftsr dong D2shess TWO
months on the same general plan as at the first estao
shmcnt they sold out clearing 5000 in ADDITION 70 the
profits Of the restaurant Orvss owed at TINS uhe
large auount for board at the ST. Charles Hotel and
his debt was paid out OF the proceeds oi
his sale. Miller was operating a saw-mill
al the foot Of Jacksonst. the building beng heavily
morgaged Miller went one day to prominent hrm OF
Jewellers in Brooklyn and purchased jewelry worth SS2
offering in payment note made by A. j. Melen Co.,
md ipdorscd by Townsend & Co. Of the United states
land Comtauv The note was accepted, but was found
10 he worthless after the delivery of the goods II was
also rumored that fraudulent issue Of stock OF the
American Fire Insurance Company OF New-Jersey was
10 he attributed 70 Orviss and his gang, but TRIBUNE
reporter learned from e COmpaDys officers that there
had never been any such Of stock but that Oryiss
had hello at one time of the Company's stock and
that there were irregularities in regard to II.
whether Oryi-s had obtained hs sioIk 10y m Iar lcs i M
foul was uncertain but the stock heid was perfectly
good. ., -.-,-., .,,uoo ho,,sos a., .1;s
-, 80 rcre also said TO have agencies outside ofNew-
Yort The first of these films that of OrvsS, Bush
M trm hired the building and fitted it up elegantly.
The members OF this firm were Oryiss. Bushnell and
that samuel Cameron OF Baltimore was one OF the firm
Tie second house that OF NJ NJ BroadWell Co.
NJ
The PARK Bank building Here, TOO; they estab
hshed themselves IL me stye, anu st P
themselves as agents OF the Kansas state BANK
Tacir third house established m SOutDst uuef the
name 0f l. Roberts & Co. They did business al No 20
s"mtl ~ 10 doors above the warehouse of l. Roberts
20 flour dealers Their plan was 10 uanSdct DusIness
nder the name of this firm and 9eing IN lne inhegate
tirirtv of course no fraud would be suspected They
issued a large amount OF paper under the name OF H.
Roberts co. The amount OF notes mus issued oy the
,oes finn s placed high as $l0OOJ though ~ cannot
of be definitely asceGdaReG @ On @ III t ~ h 1so Seu %
that Boston bank iOsl sVVV On Onc vi hOleS
With ms firm was connected William Rae and General
nd was the manager. The firm did heavy business,
and gave references TO two lawyers IN Nallst
nrn of L. Roberts Co. -four dealers at No II sOuth-st
They said that the bogus hrm was on OF ABOUT
Gan wIth an office nicely lifted up. Very soon the
notes of the concern poured into nOur dealer once
che Messrs Roberts made 20 lHS ] nGiuers OF
tiouing the public against purchasing the paper OF the
@ Am Ipon the credit of their house. Some had
been vlctimized for receiving the notes they
had taken them without hesitation, scarcely glanc-
pg at the number OF the street. or, suppOslng
A. they noticed It, that il was a mistake, as
rho name of only such firm appeared IN The directory
Tue bogus nrm closed business Two nohIls aIte,WaId
Mr Oryiss at time entered the office OF the Messrs
No. II SOuthst,, ana cOnNersed Win mem
ner of the firm. The latter suspected MS connection
with the bogus concern and told hln that II ne was
entirely innocent he protested, ne could easily make
n known public. lie never made this known, nor
did he again visit No. II Southst Mr. Roberts said he
that the sWindleIs were at the same uine
UsIng thf name drug firm in FultOnst, and another
hrrn n Westst and that they had similar establish
ment in Memphis.
lowing statement: OrVss became acquainted Win Jhe
"a and succeeded III borrowing small
sum OF its members. A short time aiterWard
he wished to borrow larger sum- and one OF the firm
hi discounted and sand he would pay the remainder in
few days. This he did. A few weeks afterward
he again called and stated that friend named Haeck
wished 10 obtain some money TO enable him 10 60 10
Washington. OrylsS said that II the member OF the
Arm win whom he was cOnYersing would give him a
draft Of $50 the firm, he would see that t was aid
Orviss's hotel and told him the note was
due. OryIss sal1 be would pay the
next day, and about week later the gVer
asked Oryiss II il had been paid. He replied thaJ ne
did not whether Cap (Halleckl had attended TO
u not The note went TO protest. A few days later
Oryss told that proceedings would be instituted AT
attend 10 II, but having no money gave note dated
Jan 5, 1872, on NJ. Nj. BrOadweu d co. The Messrs.
BTOadWc said on several occasions that they had no
money al command. Another note on NJ NJ. BrOadwell
A Co. net with similar reception. The nrm soon be-
gan that Oryiss, Hseck, and VI. VI. BrOadWeu
90. acting IN concert
Oryiss and Haleck among the other swndes in which
they 10 have been engaged, said 10 have Deen
involved Ia the A. j. Park transactions which have re-
GENTLY been exposed. l.. j. Baldwin, who Is nos IN
LudlOwst jail on charge OF sNindling has been con
Oryiss recently arrested at No. 16S Broadway,
where he stopping with haeck. Halleck Is stn al
large.