New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-03
A NEW-JERSEY SWINDLE.
BOGUS DEEDS or LAND UNDER wArER-ARi'ksr OF
TWO OF THE ALLEGED OPERATORS.

BOGUS DEEDS or LAND UNDER wArER-Alu'Esr OF
TWO OF THE ALLEGED OPERATORS.
For some time past there has been great
deal of excitement Jersey City in regard to the nego-
tiaton Of bogus mortgages and deeds, purportng 10
convey property said to be that city great many
people have been swinded but II has seemed almost
impossible TO get hold OF the persons who had oeen
operating. few days ago Capt. Beahng appeared
before the Grand Jury with number OF witnesses, and
the result was that indictments we're FOUND against
several persons, whom arc Aaron A. Degraw OF
Jamaica l. T. and John D. Mcneil, lawyer, formerly
having his place of business at NO. 80 Nassaust, new
York indictments found against other persons,
who have not yet been arrested. The complaint OF
Cant Beang showed that he had been deprived OF n
Yacht which found way into the possession OF Aaron
A Decraw 1t was obtained from Bealing in ex change
for mortgage. which proved 20 be fraudulent lie
determined at all hazard to bring the guilty persons TO
Justice and the first 10 move in the matter
IL is said that other indictments will follow
The charge against Mcneil is that acting in collision
with the perpetrators OF these frauds, he has furnished
abstracts of this property to purchasers ana hat nc
has taken the acknowledgements of pretended grantos
mortSagors knowing that the persons whose acknowl
edgemens he took were not the persons representa- III
the mortgages or deeds.
The property purported 10 he conveyed Is laid down
ON maps which have been filed with the Clerk OF Hud
sou County lying south OF south-st In Jersey CITY,
between Jersey-ave. and Varckst SOuth-st lies con-
sderably TO the south of the Morris aud Essex Canal
and It and the streets lying between it and the canal
cover most OF what is properly Comnunlpaw bay All
the land which these maps supposed TO represent
would therefore, lie south of the Filings OF the central
Railroad of NewJersey, somewhere IN New-fork Bay
The title OF tins property is represented 10 come through
! Cornelius Van Worst, who owned the hgh Iahd
! and also land under watr TO the north OF
| these pretended lands THIS came into inc
possession of Samuel 7. Townsend, who lost ms ute
through the foreclosure OF d mortgage. subsequently
10 that foreclosure he made quitcaim OF al rights
that had in lands lying south OF sontnst which was
the limit OF the c0nveyances OF Van worst On
the basis of this Quitcam these frauds seem TO have
started Ii could pass title This qutclam, through
sundry oonveyances. appears to have come into the
nominal ownership OF George Price The maps, hled III
! his name do not show that the land Is under water:
This filing OF maps 10 have been the beginning OF
the fraud representing the property 10 be lad out In
streets with the lots all numbered IL is contended mat
there is no George Price In existence. The negOtaors
of the bogus mortgages deeds represent the land con
viewed as being above water; as having been hed IN,
and living Jersey-ave. The fraud consists III glVlDs
the names spurious irresponsible mOrtgdgOrs or
warrantors representing the land rs being above
water and IN giving "a tile when there - none 10 give
The holder OF the mortgage deed has for MS money
nothing piece OF worthless paper. Generally these
mortgages have been made over 10 persons OF
small means who have been utterly unable 10 pros
ecute offenders, while the persons interested III m
Iherng frauds have been men OF large means III Is
said That hardly a suggestion Of property 10 DO ex-
changed has appeared in the newspapers that has not
been answered by these people.