The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-10-28

ton, and established IN business lucratlV
, and prosperous, if honestly pursued, it
difficult to imagine why be did not use thes
advantages to aid him on to honest gain an
high position, instead Of prostituting Their
TO The gratifying of an unworthy ambition
which could only be accomplished through
fraud and crime. Naturally ambitious an,
exceedingly vain, he used his accomplish
ments in the direction which may hav
given him transient pleasure at seeming
triumph, but which, as such course Away
will do, brought him to speedy ruin and
lasting disgrace. Theirs manner of opera
ton was as varied as it was ingenious. Il
began early in his business career. He en-
tered into partnership with Mr. s. 7
Brande in August, 1875. He had beef
made the administrator of the estate of hi
father, then deceased, and he so manipulated
the estate with reference to creditors as tc
incur much severe criticism and to shakt
the confidence of many people in him
Then the outside business matters o.
Brande & Theirs. by arrangement, devolved
upon the latter, including the bank deposits
and account. Mr.. Brande soon found that
the deposits were often less than the amount
received, and that when the bank account
was balanced, there was large difference
between such balance and the real business
of their office. The Office bookkeeping,
also in charge of Theirs, was of the later
and novel plan, and the apparent omissions
and mistaken entries all proved to be to the
advantage of the book-keeper. Still. by his
oily tongue and polished address, Theirs
gained the confidence of monied men and
capitalists.
Among the first of his transactions was one
with Mrs. s. D. Truesdell, mother of A. d.
Truesdell, of this city. for $500, on what is
known as the Pierce residence This prop.
erty he had an opportunity to sell, and went
to Mrs. Truesdell and told her he could sell,
and if she would release her mortgage he
would get the money and invest for her in
other property to equal advantage. The
discharge was made out, and. together with
the mortgage and note, were delivered to
Theirs, with the understanding as above
mentioned. Not long afterwards Theirs
sent the documents back to Mrs. Truesdell,
with tn, information that he had failed to
sell the property and her investment would
have 10 remain as it had been. In the
meantime Theirs had sold the property and
received the money, and by means of du-
plicated mortgage had caused the original to
be discharged, with no evidence thereof on
the original mortgage itself. Two years
passed away, Theirs paying the interest on
the amount each year as further blind to
Mrs. Truesdell, when the VIII ole matter came
to light, and Theirs was compelled to fork
over the cash.
About two years ago he borrowed So 900
at Dan Head & Co.'s bank on mortgage,
which mortgage was put ON record in the
morning. By another similar mortgage on the
same property he got $4,000 from Rev. DR..
Everhart, which mortgage was recorded in
the afternoon Of the same day, he having
to DIR. Everhart that his was
first mortgage. DR.. Everhart soon discovered
the fraud, and Theirs was compelled to dis
gorge. From this time on Theirs was known
to indulge in speculations, to live an extray-
agant life, and spend money freely, always
having his pockets we'll lined. He came to
have fast horses, elegant turnouts, dressed |
in the tip of the style, and seemingly could |
afford it, though some older heads sometimes |
shook their heads in doubt. His mortgage
operations as we'll as his speculations in Chi |
cago are for the most part occurrences of |
the past year. His plan was as follows: It |
seems that for the purpose of avoiding the |
payment of personal property tax on money
securities, capitalists were accustomed to |
have their mortgage run TO third party, |
placed on record, and then assigned Theirs
loaned money for his clients in this way
generally taking the mortgage to himself. |
Before delivering up the mortgage aud notes
to the proper owner with assignment, he
would procure to be executed a perfect
counterfeit of them and the assignment, 80
sklllfuly done as in almost every instance
to defy detection. Some'of these instru-
ments were copied or counterfeted several
times, and then sold as originals, and large
sums were thus realized. Promissory notes
were manipulated in the SINE way and sold.
In some cases absolute forgeres have oc.
Cured, no original having been in existence,
and in this way Mr.. Theirs was seemingly
rich, though when the city assessor assessed
his recorded securities for taxation, he ap.
peared before the Equalizing Board this
year and swore that they were his clients
mortgages, taken in his name for conven.
fence, and only scheduled personal property
to the amount Of $500.
The following is u list of Theirs unsettled
transactions, grouped in the most intelligent
manner possible, according to information
obtained:
MATTERS OF RECORD.
George Yule, Pennoyer mortgage. ...........$ 5000
George Yule LIE Wis n DeDeimar mOrtpnOa 0'5On