New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-01-02
JOHN BONNER'S FRAUDS.
THE EXTENT OF HIS OPERATIONS.


John Bonner's fraudulent operations are shown 10
have involved million dollars Ii is expected that
extensive irregularities in tho books OF the Bankers
and Brokers Association will be shown. several at
1achments have been obtained by persons having
claims on the securities reDledged by Bonner. Inc
relatives of the defauter say that lie has long oeen
Inoodv and irascible, and has shown in yarious
WAYS The elect of business troubles. Members OF
the theatrical profession say that there are no o'seS
among actors and managers. as at hrst repof'eo'
MORE FACTS ABOUT THE DEFAULTER.
The Offices of the bankers and brokers were
oil closed yesterday as II was general honday an.
little further information Of importance IN ieS'iu
10 the failure OF John Bonner 90. oou''
lc obtained The assignee did not WISH HIS oi"''
during the day II is understood that great IL
reeuarites exist in the books OF the Bankers ana div
bers, Association especially in the stock ledger.
receiver of the Association will probably De aF
pointed to-day. The total capital Oh the A"'
citation (S5OOOO0) has been used by Bonner ana
ohont $4,000 as nearly can be ascertalneo
a, present IN addition Placing the actual loss TO the
victims Of John Bonner & Co. nj Si2o;oOV the 'o.,
co,e 81 900 600 There are 10 assets value
Among the losers is A. b. BoardmGn. SGnn-iaM "a
Mr. Bonner, who had Union Pacific bonds
worth s. 900 on deposit with the firm few weeks
ago Bonner asked Boardman to take them away sas
f6dt II anything should happen Ct an unpleasant n@Iue
IL would be embarrassing to have the accounts OF eIe
tvcs mixed. Mr.. Boardman declined, however. 10 re-
move the securities and subsequently, as II now appears
Bonner sold them.
Charles j Osborn & Co. who through their attorneys
Sherman 4 sterling, obtained writ ofattaebment MOB
day evening in writ for 500 600 Later property whcn
was found in the bands Russell Sage the Fourth Ma
tiopal Bank .nk of Commerce. j. :. stont Farmers
Loan and Trus, Company and the shoe and Leather M
tonal Bank, attached In the application 1or me
wit i is alleged that the assignment made candes-
timely with intent tO~iefraud
A. b. Boardman Il e son-insw OF the missing broker
WHO'S lawyer at No 40 Wall-st., said e. For con-
siderable time have been that Mr.. Bonner was
much worried about his business, and nave OMEN
heard him say that he wished he were OUT OF
Wallst and had never had any dealings there
Sunday night / informed thar bis mIure
would be announced on Morday / was asiound-
cd" Referring to rreguiari'icS, MI. B0'rdmah Sh"
HAT lie had never heard any suggestion before
ire failure that Mr.. Bonner had done anything
wrong and he had frequently heard his credit
spoken of as exceptionally good, and M BoaIdIhh
added, "if he guilty OF onyt thing improper OF as
creditable which for the present am su dloseo 10
doubt he was led Into II by the general practice ot
brokers' and he did than the rest of the Waist
men who 90 a money business arc accustomed TO 40
every day.
Regarding Mr.. Bonners absence from his home, Mr.
BOardman said that it due entirely to his proud
sensitive nature which would not permit him to face
rebuke For the past two years, according to the adj
ditiona statements of hs son-inlaw, Mr. Bonner
has been at times distracted and moody. and has
given way to fits of melancholy and irascihilty
entirely foreign TO his nature. He would sit at lis
table without noticing his family and would bc lost in
thought When the Meter failure was announced MI
Bonner remarked friend that their conduct III re-
hypothecatng securities was 40 new thing as 1t was
common practice on wall-st. among brokers.
MI BOardman further stated that the news or MI
BOnners failure had been kept from his wife until the
last moment and that she was in deep distress and iet
keeny the disgrace attached to her husbands forced
absence No particular attention paid to his absence
from home until he failed 10 appear on sunday, when
The family alarmed, and then made aware
OF his failure in business.
shortly before . o'clock Saturday, 81. Bonner went
into the furnishing goods of E Alien. al No 81
Broad-s He bought shirt and several small articles
the amounting 10 S720-and directed that
they should be sent to his office. As he
was leaving the store, friend-a broker-sauntered
in and remarked jOcuarly You can't get credit here
Mr.. Bonner smiled and left the store. Mr.. ALLEN
thought nothing of the transaction, "a Mr. Bon
ner was an old customer and frequently, when
business prevented him from going to his
home Island he sent to The store for change
Of linen. Although Mr.. Alien, who is familiar with many
brokers had heard limitations OF the probable failure OF
Bonner Co., he had suspicion that Nr Bonner was
preparing leave the city In reply TO the rmor on The
suee. that Mr. Bonner was debtor Of his for consd
rablc amount, Mr.. Allen said emphaticay that
none bis customers prompt in the payment
OF accounts than Mr.. Bonner, and that he had re-
Gently setcd al hs Indebtedness. The ruInor grew
out OF the jcsting manner in which Mr.. Alien
had sympathized with several brokers who were
losers by the failure declaring that he too was
among those who victims. Several brokers came
into the store Monday afternoon ana rallied Mr. Allen
ON DIS loss which acGoraing 10 tie report 81 tne ss
IL war rumored that H. J. Montague, the actor had
lost large sun Of money BY the failure OF Bonner
true. He IL n warm personal friend Of MR. Sew
ell, and was in his company some hours after
the failure was announesd lie thought That mat
that he was loser and started the runor Mr. scwel
is soninaw OF Lester Walack. The knowledge Of this
fac, the belief that several actors aud mana
sers. Including Lester wsach and Dion Boucicault,
were among the creditors hr Montague denied that
Dion Boucicault stated that he had he'd no
business relations whateyer with J0nn Bon,er
Of he dramatic profession would lose ~, dollar
s sS h'e cc sRp @T e son or o ae
Wallack IS well known by the actors and actresses of
profession. heard from Mr.. sewc Tuesday and he
was then in great distress He has worked very hard
for the irm for a plumber Of years"
MI Bonner, IT is claimed by his son-n-law Mr.. Board
man. was instrumental IN breaking up custom that ex
their accounts We're overtlrSwn Mr. Boardnan says:
con Black Fridey Nj Bonner had with the
TO accept his checks. He to the bank, saw the
president and cashier and asked them how their bank
stood, and II II would be able 10 weather the storm.
The response was not satisfactory Mr. Bonncr's
account win the Bank Of North America was
make it good, bnt fearing that the Bank of North
america would suspend he went TO the Bank Of New,
that If the Bank Of North America weatlered the Storm
not SfS ME- Claimed is be-
DID tins not to harm the bank he Lad
this. Mr. Boardnan adds his fsthern-law often de
nOunced by brokers' who angry because account
Of this act the banks became more cautious and did
erncation OF checks there large ovcrdr aft
JEWELL BROTHERS SUSPENSION.
There were no new developments yesterday
concerning the failure OF the Jewell Brothers. proprie