The New York herald., 1876-12-26
BANKREP7ED BY BUILDERS.
A Woman's Story of Her In
juries and Wrongs.
INTERESTING TO CITY LOT OWNERS.
A House Which Goes Begging
for Tenants.

ing The subject promises to become one OF decided
public interest alter gets into The courts, not only
from the nature OF the story itself and its importance
property owners, but from the business prominence
and socia position OF the parties II the
statement which follows the accurate presentation
Of tho facts which It is believed to be. shows that
lady living Brooklyn has bcen cruelty done out OF
her property by unscrupuious and pitess agent.
The facts of the case, nearly they be ascer-
tained at present, iollows:-
The lady alluded resides No 100 Fulton street.
Brooklyn, and is a member OF Of the old fami-
lies OF that city. She is widow with three children,
two young daughters and son, who are living with
her In 1873 she was in comfortable and moder-
ately aluent circumstances, the Of consider
able real estate located the principal OF
Brooklyn, well to do widow 1t would be said. She Is
now absolutely penniless and in a short time to be
turned cut from the only shelter which to her
and Lcr childrcna few cod dark, cherries rooms in
socaed French fiat Fulton This ruin she
attributes, directly and solemnly, to tho wilfu
management Of her agent, Mr.. Sylvester Hondlow,
well known real estate Brooklyn. This's of
course most grave and serious charge, and only
be entertained and published, affecting citzen OF
Mr.. Hondow's standing, upon reasonable evidence Of
its being grounded facts. These, it is submitted
such to entitle her story hearing aud that
belief it is reported with additional corroborative cir
cumstances The statements hereinafter given are
compiled from the official papers the case, and
Of parte. In order that both sides should
be heard reporter OF the HERALD waited upon Mr.
Hondlow, and, stating the case II came t him,
asked the agent to give his version of the laair prom
Using that it should be carefully taken down. This
offer Mr. Hondiow pcremptory declined, the
porter therefore compelled to afidavits
and to employ expert an investigation or
tho building.
LADY's
Mrs. Anna NJ Kerr, the plaintiff In the suit for
$25 600 damages, that In September 1873 being
at that time without agent for her property, Mr.
Hondlow to her ana told her, what seems to
have been, unfortunately, too true that she knew
very little about business affairs and that he would
take the whole charge Of those matters of her hands
AS she knew Mr. Hondlow's standing in the COM
munty wealthy and responsible real estate agent,
she put absolute confidence in him and trusted the
management OF her whole property entirely to his
hands. All applications tor rent purchase of prop
erty were referred exclusively to MN, and his ap-
prasas and decisions were, in instances, final
She living at that time In her
own house, No. Al Sands street, and owned.
Ing on Fulton and Poplar streets, which were
comparatively little value, but the is
;eemed fine one Tor building purposes. Among other
Mr. Hondlow by Mr. Alsgood, Of the arm Of Alsgood l.
Rausch, No. 66 Fulton street, asking what sum the lot
dollar Mr. Hssood who sa,eS 70 he reporser o1
that he was then wiling 10 give reasonable price,
$1,000 Tor the property, immediately left tho office
with the impression that Mr.. Hondlow had desire
sell the property he demanded preposterous
price Tor II All knowledge OF this application the
lady declares In her affidavit, concealed from her
by Mr Hondiow, and she solemnly that she
would have accepted such offer as Mr.. Alsgood
willing make IL she had known OF IL ut
the time In The fail the same year the house
standing on the lot was burned and an insurance Of
sf Which, sbe dsnpsiIed with trust eomnany on Wall
street. She was then strongly advised by Mr.. Hond-
low TO put up building herself on the property,
stead OF selling renting II on ground lease
Whom she objected that she had no money to invest
this proposed building he told her she alleges, that
there would be trouble about that for he would
that the money provided and that she should
have no trouble whatever matter '.For
900 at the outside no would have . and
suitable building erected, which should bring her
large rent and be in every way admirable invest
on ns the s "a
pany, and any possible deficit arising from the fact
that there WINS already mortgage of 1000 on the
property would be easily covered by raising money
her other real estate in Brooklyn
MISPLACED CosPIDEyCR
As sho placed implicit trust in his judgment shc
consented TO the proposal and architect, Mr. N. j.
Morrill, was selected by Mr.. Houdlow Plans and
specifications were submitted 70 her. which she gnor-
anly approved, still blndly trusting her agent and
the OF the building, arranged tor the
o. Before Work hss
the 600 which had been to her credit with
Wall street trust company was transferred by her
agents demand his CONTROL the plea that was
necessary him TO settle with the contractors par
italy advance OF the work done, though nothing
stipulated 10 this effect In any Of the contracts Dur
ing the winter which followed, 1894, she became
alarmed for various reasons for the safety
It's return from Mr.. Hondlow. He as repeatedly re.
fused and 1t only by the aid Of justnabe
gem That she was able 10 recover possession Of her
money. She had become uneasy as 10 the
management OF her agent and the architect whom he
employed; and going TO them oIten as she says with
hcro hp hpgn fhcpf 1lxovf
her whole fortune wrapped up in this building,
ana that iatal mistake or avoidabIe neglect might
soohed and reassurcd her with procstatons OF entire
devotion her interests; but the year went on
they became much moro curt and sharp. Finally,
at the end tho year, when the building was at last
completed, they told her that she should aud must
,h du' or ua For moro Than two
December TO February, l87475, she protested and
pleaded, but was at length fairly browbeatcn rs she
says into acceptance In tho latter month soon
as size had finally assumed the obligation they cut
loose from all former restraint and more than
taunted her with her helpless condition in having
white elephant on her hands, which might wish
much jusiice be termed wntcd scpuchre, will be
PAYING THE pIrER
Meanwhile the bills ot the different contractors bad
in amounting in the aggregate nearly $27 600.
though she had been solemniy assured by Mr.. Hond-
low, been said that the Whole OF the build
Ing was not 10 exceed $4,000 TO NEE, these bills
she Obliged to expend the 600 Of her
money addition to tho cash receipts Of $l4, ,S37
from The Mutual Lite Insurance Company, and 10 put
besides. second mortgage OF 81 QUO on The property
In order pay the instruments this last mortgage,
they became due, as well the taxes on her new
house her own current expenses, she has been
Obliged TO sell In succession her houses Adams and
YORK streets at great sacrice, and lastly hor
bousc on sands street She has now therefore. TO
represent her old real estate, the house and lot only
on Fulton and Poplar street, saddled xith mortgages
amounting In the aggregate, to $25, 600
NOTHING MONEY.
But her house must be fine one will be said, TO
have cost SO large sum OF money! Now, the con-
and condton OF This house ia the main point
of story, and the very keystone Of the whole
Ii that Is suitable even Dcarable the whole case,
however much the judgment o the agent may be
surcd, practically ials TO The ground Tor lack OF su-
testimony What is then. the condition OF this
buiidngr Outwardly II s air enough and might give
just for pant but the cannot be said
oil the design and execution OF those portions which
are hidden from pubic view. The HERAIDs reporter
satisfied himself on this point after close personal