Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-07-15
A BUsINEss MAN IN TROUBLE.
Arrest Of benjamin r. Chalfnnt for
Trying to Injure the Credit of his
Fellow business Hlen by SANDER
Ous Letters

AEke&I Oh hoH
Trying to Injure the Credit of his
Fellow Business Nlen by SANDER
Gus Letters.
On Saturday night, Benjamin F.
Ohalfant boot and shoe dealer at l25
Market street, was arrested by Deputy
Sheriff, George q. Ward, on the charge OF
ipiuring the credit of Messrs, MARBLE Il
Thsckery, Nos. and 10 West Second
street, also shoe dealers, by means of
anonymous letters to Bunting Sons and
Lippincott 4 Sons, auction firms of
Philadelphia.
The letters caused Messrs. MARBLE IL
Thackery much trouble, and they fpslly,
by advice, decided to put the matter in
the hands OF u detective, W. A. Mearns of
McKibbin IL Mintzhouser's agency, Of
Philadelphia, being employed.
As Mr.. Ohalfant owed and still owes
the now prosecuting firm about $500, and
there were several reasons for believing
him the guilty purity, the detective at once
began TO work the matter up, representing
himself to be q inan frorn New York inter
ested In breaking up system of false
credits and as going to Mr. U. for his ideas
upon working up the question IN coDnec-
lion with certain Wilmington shoe firms.
including, Of course, Messrs MARBLE q
Thackery. lie began his work JUNE l5th,
and by July 9Th had the whole affair COM
pletely uDd thoroughly investigated
Duripg this time he managed 10 work
himself into the boon compnnionship of
the suspected merchant, and 10 most ingen-
iously learn of the plans OF Mr.. o. to in
lure other shoe firms. The main point
finally used with success wes the idea that
If Mr.. @. would acknowledge the sending OF
certain anonymous letters 1t would greatly
rebound to himself ant aid MIN in getting
large and desirable credit from several
Philadelphia firms. Mr.. q. had at first
represented that other shoe dealers In this
city had sent the letters, but when he was
made TO believe that that they would be
greatly benefited instead of himself, the
bait was too tempting.
Having accomplished all he had untier-
taken, the detective left with the under
standing that the information he had
received from the unfortunate man would
he reported at headquarters, and conse-
qnently Mesars. MARBLE ~ 1hackery's
credit would be forever settled.
"The best Ibid schemes o. mice aud men
Gang aft a-gleyi"
Hli Choo hllusuoT VI
the often quoted passage:
After his arrest Mr. Ohaliant busted
himself until nearly midnight Saturday in
getting bondsman, John Otto finally be-
coming such in the sum of 5000, think.
ing that the capias was merely one for
debt.
United States Commissioner Redmond
Smith not being in town, the charge of
violating the United States postal laws, by
sending anonymous aud libelous letters
through the mails has not yet been
actively preferred. However, it will proba-
bly, not be long before an arrest is made
ON this charge. r
The sanderous letters recently sent
seem to have been confined almost
entirely to Philadelphia, but two years
ago letters were sent to nearly all the New
York and New England men with whom
Messrs. MARBLE & rhackery were dealing,
causing them at the time nm enormous
amount of trouble and of course greatly
injnring their credit.
Mr.. Uhalfsnt has boon in the shoe bust
ness in Wilmington for about 25 years,
and at Que time was i'll the employ of H.
X. Crawford, and recently doing business
under the name of Z. q. Crawford, that
of his wife, having failed several times.
Suspicion is now very strong that to the
same souroe may be traced the shock
sometime since similarly experienced by
the credit of patsr Mc(iullnuuh ~ IN