The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-24
The Long Career Of Criminal
ity Which 1t Ended.
A CEMETERY swINDLE
AForged Deed. Forged Contract and
Wholesale Perjury.

OF fraud wonderful In its extent and continuity. ~
includes only but recently adjudicated ous
extends back o series of years ana reopens
the old but extensive Evcrgreens Cemetery irauus III
which Kpeeland took prominent part and when are
still under consideration in the State courts through
the pertinacity OF certain lot owners "iiham y.
Kneeland, the deceased, was man sixty years OF
ara and iuoping from the letter he LETT
at the limo OF his decease, was man
or nne and tender feelings; but the different counsel
he has employed in later career cannot credit him
with such character. They all characterize MIN as
quick, nervous, high tempered man, exc'taoie ana
extremely tigant liable to be downcast at every re-
verse OF fortune and domestcaed as the letter
alluded to would lead us to believe
HISTORY FRAUDS.
The full history OF the case commences with the
organization Of the Cemetery of the Evergreens In
1919, under the General Cemetery law OF ls47 when
the city Brooklyn took possession OF the old Wall
about Burial Ground, then held by the various re-
lg,ous demon inatlons purchased the LAND known
rs "Tne Evergreens" Tor cemetery. paying Tor II
In those city bonds known sWaabouts." The
trustees of the new corporate cemetery company d.
vided those bonds between themselves aud executed
mortgages to the eleven holders OF the pr0perty.
amounting in the aggregate TO s29o07 The Catholic
churches took the Wallabout bonds, however, and
purchased elsewhere. The Company Of the
Evergreens then sold the cemetery land TO
themselves body for $350,000 and
issued bonds to pay themselves for 1t to the amount
OF $7s0000 These bonds TO some extent were dis
posed OF for other property but the major portion
were held by the trustees. william Q. Kneeland was
appointed and acted superintendent OF the Gene
terry, and through him the litigation which exposed
the ABOVE TRANSACTIONS commenced Transactions
which Judge Woodruff. OF the Court OF Appeals, thus
characterized IN his subsequent opinon:-
TIE EyERGREEN BONDS
In the cvpress Hills Cemetery The parties
who originated the cemetery attempted TO make an
enormous profit 10 themselves by turning
over the ground TO the association at price some
twenty-five times greater than at which they, in
truth. made the purchase. and therefore issued
bonds the association themselves for the profit in
fraud OF tho law and OF the purchasers OF the burial
lots We hold such bonds to be void and Illegal and
the appellants exceptions suggest very ponedly
association Qhe Evergreens) upon bonds to the rus-
themselves could have originated in any lawful
exercise OF the powers OF the company"
ATTACK ON A BURIAL LOT OWNER.
James Myers Jr., purchased with I'VE friends as
named Burgess 10 take care OF them THIS he did
IN such excellent manner that many others
Kn s as superintendent, objocled ana pro-
the cemetery: Myers domurred, insisting on
the privilege OF ordering any he chose to care for
his lot but insisting on that privilege he was iorcbly
elected IRON the cemetery by Kneeiand and then
rested and imprisoned on his complaint When
brought before East New York Justice. a state
OF the case the matter dismissed and Myers
discharged. he Immediately commenced SUIT against
the Cemetery Corporation and obtained Judgment
against it Tor 81, 00o
A CEMETERY AT AUCTION.
Kneeland who oil The original trustees, OBJ
tanned the money obtain his first lots from john j.
Merrtt wealthy stationer OF Columbia Heights, and
gave linn bonds oil the company as security. and
through the mannuvrngs OF Kueeland he
menced suit his bonds against the company a
November !. 1861. William e. Andarlese receiving the
appointment, sylvester M Beard. one OF the trustees,
becoming his bondsman. The reference IN the mat
Ter held before Mr. Phlo Rugges, and he
ported Ia favor OF making sale of the entire
iery at public auction the highest bidder, ao wing
the following liens on the property
Original COST mortgages .-.............. $29, OCT
Bonds issued on second sale and other IN
deDtedness 566,679
Total liens. 5000 $50
To this the parties to the suit objected ana also
Court Of Appeals. AS the lot owners, as such, had
been called in parties to the SUIT,
however, the appeal was dismissed though
was severely characterized by the presiding
Judge The SALE therefore, took place the 10th day
pi August 1871, sylvester NJ Beard purchasing
ceiving full title in Zee simple II in hts
for 100000. Mr. Beard then associated with him
incorporators OF the New Cemetery Company
William A. Cummings, Charles A. Goodwin. Robert 4.
French, Demas Barnes Joseph J. 0'Donohue and
William K. Grace, VINO constitute the present Board
with MIR. William A. Cummings as president During
this time with the exception Of few months Knee
land was superintendent or comptroller OF the ceine-
tho company proposed TO indct and punish him as
the Merritt case, mentioned in these columns
yesterday, should be decided.
oUsTED AND RETSsrArED.
The lot owners, headed by Myers, suspecting, from
the TACT that kneeand was selling cemetery lots
SIDE OF the ONCE, That all was not right, elected
Board OF Trustees that ousted him, and placed J ohm
Bennett as superintendent; but few months later
The Board divided and kneeland was renstated and
continued IN his position until the company took
sharge
Duyinp Ia term Andarlese receiver Kne
land forged deed OF 900 burial lots to Augustus W.
Meade, dated back in 1854 and also contract, pur-
porting be signed by Copeland, the vco president
hail and Johnson, that the deed should not be re.
corded Tor fifteen years from date. copy
Kneeland swore that the original deed was lost
During the term OF ADdanise receiver he was en-
ioined IRON selling any lots and thcn Knceland
sold about two hundred giving deeds therefore the
name OF Meade. lie was caught at this, arrested ana
held 10 bail IN $4,000 lie also, during the same
LIME made bond Gde purchase OF sixteen lots from
man named I'D wards aud, dividing them into thirty
persuaded old man named Carutners, working Tho
cemetery TO sign deeds Tor them, which u notary
named Cowenhoven attested IN a bunch These
deeds issued by clerk in the Office OF the
rtery named smith 10 purchasers OF lots, and
ccpted as bond fde by the purchasers Nor did they
find their mistake till after their first allotment had
been made or monument erected, when Kneeland
would call on them, prove that Caruthers had right
or title In the cemetery whatever and compel them
to pay bonus to him Tor a corrected ana genuine
deed.
After his arrest he commenced suits for damages
against all who complained against hun, IN the follow
ing amounts james Myers, $4,000; William A Cum
mings, SO. 900; Mr.. Cooling, 10000; Air. spezer,
$40, 900; seymour L. Hustled, 100000; ). A. Beard,
$4,000, and william A. Prime OF tue Journal Of
Commerce 100000 He hoped thereby TO hoodwink
tho District Attorney and aver an indictment.
But the Original forged deed TO Augustus n.
Meade, a boy OF ionr years, was In existence, and
aside from the forgery the transfer was a palpable
fraud He had the enrontery TO sue the new company
also 10 establish his title 10 The GOO lots and 1--WE
n new deed, but did not press u because the
company held the Grand Jury before him, and
ali the suits save shat against Splitter were
continually adjourned as IN case Line company per-
secuted kneeland they would involve the aud
,e compelled exchange deeds without a considefs
non 10 each party had purchased a lot frors
KneeIand, and would also involve the entire ys.ld-
Ity Of the company title 10 the cemetery
The Merritt case also commenced during these pro
eoedtpQs and II decided await the decision Va
that case before proceeding against him further All
future burials were prohibited Ia the 900 lots, now
syer and none have been made since, except IN
ghere tho owners poor and unable to buy aDoth1r
lot when they received the requisite permission aud
nertacates that Tor "a small consder ration viii ebtic
shem 10 correct deeds when tho matter Is finally aa
1usted -
BUSINESS FAILURE.