The New York herald., 1877-01-17
FORGED RECORDS.

CHARGE OF FALsIFYING THE RECORDS IN THE
IEGIsTEEs oFFIcE-ARREsT OF FRANCIS
covEHT-HIs REAL ESTATE OPERATIONS
Detectives Field and Conner, OF tho District Attor
ncys occ, yesterday Francis Covert, OF New
brunswick, n. j. on an Indictment found against him
for forgery by tho Grand Jury IN having, al alleged,
iasiacd the records in the Registers Office The prts
oncr also, II is stated attempted TO dcfraud MIRA
ANVIL of Poughkccpsc, of <25, 600 worth Of property
situated in sMiy-nnth street. The prisoner Is
sharp, business looking well dressed about forty
hvc years old aud possessed o. great nervous energy
He captured after leaving the Office OF Counscllos
Fisher, No. 1877 broadway, and is now locked up 10
the Tombs in default Of bail He Is believed to have
been connected with the Sacia renl estate swndlcs
Below Will DO found complete details Of tho case
THE LAWYERS STORY.
Mr.. Edward Browne OF tho drm OF Browne & Rnbe,
lawyers of Broadway makes the following statement
In regard to the matter:-
On the 81 OF January rcccived contract signed by
Francis Covert from CLIENT MI Kelly. whereby
Covert agreed convey to him four lots Of vacant
land situated at the south sldc Of Sixtynnh street,
bs,wecn Tenth and Eleventh avenues, freo and clear
oil all mbranccs, in exchange for property bolong
ng to Mr. Kelly situated In this city On the uf,er
of the following day Mr. Covert called and sub
m,tled abstract OF tho property in question,
and requested cont's abstract and papers Upon
OF Covcrts abstract appeared to bc very
informal and deficient. I asked him who had ex
am'ned the TUE, thero being no oficia searches
Baxter, now OF ST. Louis, had mado the
examination. He further stated that Mr.
Baxter owed him large amount OF money, and that
when he, Covert obtained tho titlc he found Baxter
III this city. and employed HIM TO examine II. aud
allowed him dong tho sum of $3.50 against his
debt. tod Mr. Covert then that as there were no
original searches II would cost our client largo
sum Tor searches These circumstances excited
m lsutctn In Al NYat
Caroline A. A,will had purchased three Of tho lots
1865 from Mr. De WITH. us executor OF Mrs. Talman
iurthrr learned by tho records that Mrs. Anvil had
purchased two adjoining lots when const-
iu,cd tho five lots winch Covert claimed to
VIII, Lockman Il Kip were her counsel then called
on those gentlemen, anu mad nn interview with Mr
kip. NJ told me thor firm acted for Mrs. Anvil, now
IN baltimore, but who resided when At home, at
Ioughkeepsio and that she had made no sale 0f any
paid the taxes on them on the 2tth OF October which
was Ifeen days alter the pretended transfer Of tho
lots 10 Ashworlh Covert's grantor. lie showed mo
somo letters with Mrs. Atwiii's signature, which did
not compare AZ all with tho signature OF Mrs. Atwill
upon the deed in record Az my request no wrote to
that lady IN Baltimore asking Tor information and tho
next day a despatch was sen; by her to Mr. Kip,
stating that she had not sold or conveyed the lots
sixty ninth street 10 any person. Mr.. Dewitt aud
myself laid the before the District A,tor.
ncy, and The result you know. Tho value OF the five
lots was S25 900 but Covert only wanted to sell four
ANOTHER TRANSACTION
IL Is reported that Mossrs. Inscrso OF No. SO Wall
street. continued Mr.. Brown, have been dcfraudcd
OF 81, 400 account 0f Ic1n on s0mo vacant
lots which Covert said belonged TO him. Covert vol
untccrod to allow client the sum Of $75
count of tho examination OF the title. asked him
then he any Did deeds relating to tho property,
he stated he mad rhcm ut his home In Now Bruins.
wick, aud In Il he would bring them 10 me Monday
morning next lie then requested our clients abstra
winch dccnncd 10 give hm, aud he referred rne TO
Mr. Ingcrsoli, OF No. So Wall street, who, he said,
was hts lawyer asked him when no put his decd
record at the Registers oiice, aud he replied, ION
the Both of Deccmbcr." He then loft The following
day called upon Mr. Ingcrsol with tho abstract not
wishing 10 deliver II to Covert.
| ForSD FICTITIOUS.
| On tho 4th of January commenced my search In
the Registers Office ana examined the deeds that hxd
been deposited by him Tor record ON the 3Oth of
December found that although the grantcrs in the
deeds named resided inside OF this county. that the
deeds all acknowledged before Mr. Henry singer,
notary public within "a week Of each other, and thu
decd 10 Covert, although dated IN October was not
corded until December 3O The same applied 10 tho
deed to Covcrts grantor. one Ashworth also noticed
that there ndOrscmcnt upon tho deeds dir0cts
ing where they should be returned.