The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-09
A CUNNING CROW.
Leading New York Merchants
Viotimized by Boy.
THE ENTERPRISE OF YOUTH.
Value Of a Respectable Refer
nce-$7O,OOO Involved.


others, "Rcady" "Rcady," the response which
respectively from Messrs Armstrong 4 Briggs
counsel for the plaintiffs In this city, and Nessrs J.
j. H. Dining, counsel for the defen dants. from
Addison, IN tho western portion OF this State Tho
parties each side were numerous and OF consider.
able importance In their respective communities, tho
plaintiffs being the members OF one out 81 nine
firms Of leading prominence IN this city, ana the
PENDANTS of scarcely less prominence at least up the
time OF these transactions. among the numerous
and villages west Of Elmira, in this State.
PAPERS DISCLOSE
The papers In the disclose strange features
In commercial lie in this city and II true part
Of plaint, show that leading business men, only
here but IN Philadelphia and elsewhere, have been
successfully hoodwinked out OF property essi-
mated at about $4,000 by . boy scarcely
out of his teens, backed by tho ordinary
business recommendation Of q country merchant
Taking up the voluminous compliant OF the plain.
tls found to disclose the allegations that they,
William q. Browning, Edward i. Browning, John
Henry Browning and William >. Patten, compose tho
nrm OF William C. Browning Co., OF No. 326 Broad
way, the defendants being William A. Smith, William
w. Hunter William X. Hunter ana Moses r. Crow.
Tho plaintiffs charge information and belief that
about September is, 1874, William A. Smith and
Moses X. Grow conspircd to procure from plaintiffs
and number OF othors In New York and elsewhere
goods upon credit without pay and to that end agreed
that Moses r. Grow should purchase tho goods on
credit upon representations as to his responsibility
and solvency which were false and that William A.
Smith should confirm such statements. Some OF the
goods thus be obtained TO DO transferred to
William A. Smith, william w. Hunter and William X.
Hunter doing business at Jasper, Steuben county, in
this State, they to sell the and convert tho pro-
cccds to the benefit OF themselves and Crow.
AN INNOCENT ABROAD
About September l. 1874, Crow, In pursuance OF
that alleged conspiracy, applied to PLAINTIFF to pur-
chase goods, saying that had from four Ave
sand dollars capital given him by his father that
he proposed to buy and sell for cash In business
about TO DO established by him at Pottsvilc Pa that
he owed debts and had no liabilities; that no
wished to open an account with tho plaintiffs and
tinue tho same aud would be able to moet All his bills
at maturity In these statements Crow was confirmed
by William A. Smith. Upon the faith Of these repre-
sensations account was opened by tho plaintiffs in
favor OF Crow and about the LIST OF Nav 1875 he
their debt balance TO the extent OF 81 1858 o. Tho
foregoing statements are claimed 70 have boon false
and untrue and were 80 known to the parties
making them whom made by them. and were
SO made Tor the purpose OF dcfrauding the
plaintiffs. large portion OF the goods purchased
charged 10 have been transferred to the defend
ants, William A. Smith, Wiiam w. Hunter and will
ham r. Hunter IN OF the alleged conspiracy
without any consideration TO Crow and with intent 10
cheat and deraud the creditors OF Crow II is further
charged that the Sd OF May, 1875 Crow In pur
suance oil the same alleged combination, gave to Will
liam A. smith Judgment notes 10 the extent OF 81, 500
payable day after date. upon which judgment
entered and Crows whole stock swept away there.
under, and subsequently portion thereof transferred
to the other defendants.
CROWS FLIGHT.
Thcreupon Crow took fight from tho State OF Penn.
syvana, IL Is charged and has not returned.
From these transactions the plaintiffs estimate their
damages at 80 000 which amount they seek 10 recover
IN this suit against all the alleged consplrators.
THE ANSWERS.
william A. Smith, in his answer to the complaint,
admits the Indebtedness OF Crow TO Tho plaintiffs. and
that he made TO them tho representations charged
against HIM. 1t further says that ne Smith, about
the LIST o September. 1874 sold and delivered to Crow
goods and chattels amounting to $4,000, which goods
were shipped ut Addison for the city OF Pottsvie that
II was IN ment oil these goods Crow gave she judy
mcnt notes in satisfaction OF which the goods were
sold, aud also TO Cash advanced to him. which
he (Smith) received note In January 1875 and that
such notes we're delivered IN good faith and for vau
able considerations that when Crow commenced to
capital represented by him short time previous that
William w. Hunter was only cerk for William A.
Smith and William r. Hunter; that the allegations OF
a conspiracy contained In the complaint also, and
that plaintiffs continued TO sc Crow goods after they
had known him 10 become discrcdted In the city
william A. Hunter answers that he was only clerk
for OF the other defendants had taken part in
no conspiracy II there was one, and never had any
interest IN the goods purchased by Crow.
William X. Hunter also denies all conspiracy any
fraud tho part oil himself his partner, Smith, IN
enforcing their claims against Crow, and in all other
respects confirms the answer oi his partner. Out OF
above board us tho defendants claim them TO have
been, suits have grown, IN addition TO the present.
numbering in this city alone ten, besides numerous
in Pennsy lvanIa anu elsewhere. In the suits Ia
this state, including the present one Grow
ined in Canada, and IN reply to an nterrogaory TO
his relations with Smith, The two Hunters and
Samuel Johnson IN relation TO these charges he said
that IN August 1874, he and Johnson mad concluded
go and hunt up place to do business
STOCK.
There was IN tho carpet room over Smiths store In
Addison some old stock, unmatched boots and shoes,
a lot OF Berlin woods and zephyrs, 20 the value OF
about 5000 or $500 These they decided should DO
sent part OF tue stock when thoy found a store.
After some with smith as TO what should
be tho price OF these goods, $500 or $4,000, was
agreed 10 call them $1,000. and smith gave him
about 500, about $50 OF which he owed him salary
aud he and johnson started to look for store They
visited Elrira and Mauch Chunk and finally settled
Pottsvillc. There they found store and leased IT,
Smith furnishing $500 to tho first quarters
Leaving Johnson TO clear up the store no went 10
Addison, packed the old goods Tor which the $1,000
note had been gwen ana shipped them Tor
Potlsvic. day or two after no met Smith
by appointment on an Ero train, ana they
both came to New York. lie Grow had with him
bonds borrowed from his people Tor exhibition. They
went Earles Hotel and deposited bonds In tno
SAFE they being marked S. 0O0 There johnson Joined
them, aud they all roomcd together His nrst intro
duction was 70 William brlnkerhon, hat and cap
Smith TINT ms (crow'sD father had just givon him
4 $4,000 to go into business with.
Thence they from business house to
another, Smith introducing him all around a reliable
IRON his father In this way he got credit from H. H.
Calm Co., l.. NJ Bates Co., Teirt, GrswoId Co.,
the present planis Ia the case, and large number OF
other merchants They got goods al that time TO the
amount OF about $1,000 on short credits.
THIS was In September, 1874, and In october Crow
returned and purchased 10 Tho amount oil several
thousand more, and continued TO purchase until the
| following April, when Smith and he met in this city.
stopping at several hotels, tho former registering
| undcr an assumed name, on which occasion Grow
bought largo amount but many oil his creditors
fused TO deliver crow returned TO Pottsvillc, and
about month after went to Philadelphia. where no
went into the purchase OF furniture, plumbing mate
rial, harness, provisions, collins ami other kinds OF
goods, which nc had sent 10 Pottsvio On the I'd Of
May following Crow disappeared from louisville.
/ Smith appear ng ON tho day alter. and within few
days seized all that renamed under tho judgments
| notes
SHIPPING UNDER PALsx PRErBScES
While tho scheme was In progress large quantity
OF Tho goods purchased phe creditors say $l4,00OD
shipped 10 smith undor various names, some
checked as baggage, &c, and some In the original
packages johnson had store In another block, and
ihIther also portion carried. such the load.
ing points In Crows testimony who seems to DO
"A IN tallt ho vholo stO a n