New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-12-30
CONFESSION OF PETTIS.

Council JOHN A, DIX.
CONFESSION OF PETTIS.
Stann.tm Of r. s. Pruis non,mo,.lI k"o,cn as Spence
Fciiis' concerning h,s connection rim Andrea L.
T@(tine G,5ase% Getttr %moSn as FRANK Gi,asom
and Cnmdda Frank. IN ne Jol9ereS Of me GgndS
Of NC Netr- York CeidTdi RditrOdd company; BHUH0
E,ic. Imk AID Ere Rdtlroud (0mpdns; Western
CHtc" telegraph Company. ant other Corporations
NV first conversation with Andy Roberts
and Frank Gleason selling and obtaining loans on
q large amount of bonds other than Unlted States
bonds took place at Robcrlss house. No 229 Tenthave
New York City Ill early Summer OF 1871. Roberts
wanted to know how loans Oh good railroad bonds were
obtained and how many could be us at one time.
explained such loans. both fee and in escrow, were
pade. He wanted to know II l could obtain loans Oh
rnroad bonds told HIN I could, If the bonds mad
good market value, and were good delivery at the
stock Exchange. Roberts sald he would talk to re far
tneI pun the matter other tme and mat there
was money III IT, ] had several conversations both
with Inn ana Valentine Gleason aftc: this upon
the subject of bonds aud loans, and at one of them
Gleason asked me II | could $0UhG OF hrstclass
rrOad bOIds perfect IN appearance AVS tie genuine
iseue said would prefer to sec them first hut that
If they were perfect fac-smiles there would be 10
trouble in negotiating a loan on them Gleason an
swcrcd, " Well, some udy we may test 1t
The next conversation upon the snlrct or bonds
took place at RuDrTtsH house. the early part 0f i u
ruari 1872 Roberts, Gleason ami George Walks
showed INC Of George Cpd! krs letter Dra.S, d'
post tickets and certificates OF deposit aud Xplaned
thcy going to do with them aud on ren me
an interest III them. which declncd WhSes cIt
about an afterward and Gleason and Roberts SAID
right III not mixing up III the business Isl taxed
was posted and that they were tncn at work on H.
ana there was plenty of money Tor all thrce ana no
danger OF anerclaps We would have protection
Neltnrr Roberts Gleason stated directly VIVA; mat
something was but led Ia infer that was honds
raw Roberts and Gleason afDf this almost daliv, ny
to the 10Th l2.h Of March, 1872 about whlch lime
10 Boston. In April ana May, 1872 RoDert. and
Gleason saI il wantei to zee either Oh them must
90 their houses before 81 a. H., AZ hty we're helping
the printer ami had to he at the place NY % T ,
About the beginning %: june 1877 GLEASON
wanted some bond paper aud As Wds golHg to Pnlia
dcpnia on business he gave me SAMPLE anH wanted
buy il for him. directing nc where TO H"t H.
bought 8; sheets. hut 1t did not suit
Elmer few before after thus, as was going
up rown 10 pay Roberts aud Gleason some money.
WIllIal.st 10 restaurant. where paid him money,
aud brass type. with the figures $3.50 Oh
inat 1t costs great deal to get good stuff tooA par
ticuar notice the figures and afterwards saw tn@
ktulc figures reproduced tI6 die work OF thc 5000
Western Tnon Telegraph bond. asked Roberts where
Gleason he SAID ne was at work ana tnt roudnOt
see hun for day unless went to Ills holse early
the morning or III the evening Some day dlt2r t>
IN Junc 1872. Gleason told Inc lac muo' nave soe heavy
w,c bona paper that the printer wdIting Tor 1t,
and my friend could Not get 1t Tor me me- G"a
plaC on tie eontn of uet"cen r!rd
and Fourth. Fourth aud FIth'Sts, wncre al
0uRcd al such paper he wanted .za 12xl9, but told
nam they wOud sell less til III l,ObI shccs. Gleason
-. he could get them 10 break arkL=e for hhn "nd
a. wanted to see some Philadelphia wcnt over
WIth Inn ana lie bought parcel OF 80 snrrt- Of very
heavy IL or 81 standard bond paper cost $50 ar $50
Ca the iauci Of the package was printed, -rduc ca D
rom We came uacK Oh the same trdiu, inG met t,rd
hun that evening. AT O'Clock. at small JtWriry store
III Candst above West Broad~aI where he Had taken
CoKROBORATIVE EVIDENCE.
The following cOTrOhurallve stitcnlcut % W. B Burr
with Moss & Co, Philadelphia as to purchase OF TO
sheets OF bond paper is here inserted III the sacmcn
hy Mr. Phelps az part OF evidence against 6DertS
aud Gleason
Burr about June 1872 the firm by whom be
va, emped received e from the National la rOa! Company
for qusrv faprr but that before the order could be exc
cued H.. Company supplied themselves othrwse Barr that on
the I7 Of o2 about 40 old DARK complexion
came il lot Of bond paper for email railroad IN
, Pa and uaV purchased 500 sheets Of tue
bond weighing - pounds Tor winch he pad
$50 So h. aroused the man SAVING Le
axe r away delivered sndhe
Dam for the maDuc Of bond paper not
70 70 81 be Bu vas sA'hei that he IN
teded u.g improper Among ID p'onefs III the
1 = CITY, who brought on, IN line b. tue NaTsLA
t,r AZ te nau purchased bin The bond
Til. t tue Of tie cell and was recognized by MI
Burr As tic MAJ Scotch and stood tTd 10 the line
lie VS., ,ae out the there without cap and taking
dd.eut yoou the Inc yet was positively deu'ted BY M
PrTTIs'S CONFESSION RESUMED.
On our way 10 the corner Elm and Canal SITS. whore
we separated Gleason told me lie was only going To use
30 or 10 that heavy paper and that 1t was to
be cut smaller He sand the paper would be facsimile
after pptnc as there be three or four impress
sions which would make It thinner Tue paper for the
Buffalo. New York aud Ere bonds was bought III small
street ba<k OF Cbegtnutst Philadelphia, ana below
North Ftbst sAw Roberts the next DAY and told him
about the apcr winch he said he bad and that 1t
was a perfect match; but he did not say what II
matched bat wanted to know how many sheets Gleason
said he was gong to use and he asked the question
though he was suspicious Gcasons good faith Some
tine in July 1872 went 70 Europe, AMI before
gong he stated thai 1t for my interests Gle2sons,
and his own that ne going and lthat lie would ex
plan when he returned.
During Roberts's absence in Europe | met Gleason
almcs; daily up to Aug II, 1872 and he said be would
show me what they had been at work when Roberts
and tOl me To- get rSrlass letter OF intro
ductu if possible, TO some parties OF good STANDING III
England ia some name other than Own a. it might
ms necessary TO the things they had III Europe a.
W n ~ here. obtained such letter, and gave copy
oJ II TO Gleason who said that Walter Sheridan or RO
sion would be lust the TO make use Of It, Roberts
returned from Elrope IN September, 1872 GA Sunday,
prey,ous TO Ro2crt,s departure for Europe, went 10
IIeasous horse In FOrty-eIghth-St, New York. and
found Roberts. Gleason, ana Walter Sheriddn' alias
Weldon alias kestOn, III the parOr consulting PO0r1
Manual" of Railroads, about the New-Y1rk Central Rail
,oad,s s.ycpty.seyenth's Convertible Bonds
S,. below statement Of Robert A. PrkeOn Superintendent Of
Agency Which corroboates Peti to Poors Manual
TO above Robert PnisoD that in searching uea
on. house. AFTER his arrest iund Of PoOrs MANUAL,
Roberts saw that there were none " be found 10 this