New-York tribune., 1882-04-09
STEALING A CITY'S BONDS.

TERs OPFICE-THE PRISONERS REMANDED.
Two men from Missouri have excited suspicion
lately by attempting to negotiate 100000 of the
new bonds Of the City of St. Joseph. No. at consid
erably SIS than their market value. PinkertOn's
detectives have been watching the men for several
days, and the attention of Captain Caftrey, of the
New Street Police, aud the ward detective was at
tracted to them about the same time. The two men
were arrested yesterday and taken before the mag
istrate at the Tombs Police Court where they
were remanded until this morning. They gave
the lanes of James Fisk, age thiry-sx,
and George VI. Irwin, age thirty three. Irwin has
been staying at the AstOr House for n week or ten
days. and Fisk at the Sturtevant House. In per-
sonal appearance the men said by the detectives
to look like border ruff ms. When arrested one of
shem had not penny in his pockets, and the other
had not over thirty cents.
When Mr.. Pinkerton and the police officers found
that both were watching the same men, they Joined
forces. 1t was arranged that the should
be captured with the bonds in their possession.
The men who attempted to negotiate the bonds
communicated with the brokers to whom they
attempted to sell them through go-between, whose
name does not appear The detectives say that
other arrests may be made and that the names of
persons who have associated with the prisoners in
this city are withheld that account. Fisk one
of the prisoners, visited the Office of w. n Coler &
Co., No. II Nassau-st yesterday morning and after
some conversation Mr. Coer agreed to advance go
per cent on the face value of the bonds for sixty
days mt per cent interest but lie insisted that Fisk
should give him authority TO sell the bonds
at So and that he should pay a commission, which
afterward was fixed at 12l2 per cent. The terms
were accepted, and Mr. Coer then asked Fisk how
soon he could deliver the bonds. Fisk replied that
he could produce them in few minutes and after
an absence of not more than quarter of an hour,
he returned with the bonds which he carried in
leather satche. While the bonds were being ex-
amined. detectives entered the room, according to
prcarranged plan and made the arrest.
The bonds are Of the issue in compromise of
the city debt They are dated in 1881 and run
ten years. bearing per cent interest. They can be
issued by the city at par only In exchange for Ola
city bonds. The market value of the bonds is
about 80, but the dealings in them are
very small. The bonds found with the
prisoners are numbered cOnsecutively from 9O1
to 900 and are for 81 900 EACH Donnell Lawson
and Simpson. of No. 102 Broadway, are the fiscal
agents of the City of st. Joseph, and they alone in
the East are authorized to make the exchange of
bonds. They constantly advised by the city
authorities of the new bonds issued and, while they
say that these bonds undoubtedly genuine, they
declare that the bonds bear numbers much higher
firm telegraphed to ST. Joseph for information about
the bonds yesterday.
The prisoners do not give satisfactory account
of the bonds which they tried to SELL Irwin says
that he knows nothing more about them than that
he had them in hls possession at the hotel 4
one night Fisk says that he bought
them OF man in Cincinnati, uamed
Pierce. lie docs not know where Pierce can
be found now He says. ALSO that he took the bonds
in payment for Il mine which he sold Mr. Coler,
who arranged TO buy the bonds, and in whose office
the men were arrested, said to TRIBUNE reporter
that the bonds were genuine, but probably had been
stolen from the city treasury of st. Joseph. Mr..
Donuell, of DOnnell, Lawson & simpson, said that
he had examined the bonds carefully and that he
had no donht OF their genulnrness. Inc only con-
nectiOn that his firm had with the matter was TO
attest the character of the bonds He asserted that
the bonds could he ssued only at par, but that the
market value probably not more than so.
some persons familiar with the political affairs Of
st. Joseph inclined to the opinion that the
bonds have been stolen from the city treasury OF
frauduently issued. They say that the city Coy
crnmcnt has always been Democratic and IN the
hands Of q ring: that AZ the recent election Demo-
Gratis and Republicans united IN over
throwing this ring and that this attempt
to negotiate these bonds has political significance
Superintendent WallIng said that he understood
there had been election of city officials in 81.
Joseph recently and that the newly-elected Board
of officers were 70 assume power III Il few days.
q. If the bonds are genuine said he g suspect that
they were not stolen. ! am inclined TO think. in
stead that the old officials have sent the bonds here
made before the new officials get hold OF the city
Government
After the prisoners had been taken to the Tombs
Police Court and remanded, Captain Caifrey took
them 10 Police Headquarters, where they were
looked at by the detectives without beng recog
nized. Inspector Byrnes saId that he felt that
the men were strangers i'll the city They then
taken back to the New Street Police Station and
locked up. Captain Cafirev last night showed q
TRIBUNE reporter the leather sache containing the
bonds which weighed fully five pounds. ~ tell you
what" he said - if we had that divided between us
we would feel good. If l had met those
would have taken them for crooked
characters" There was cool air about them which
showed that they could not easily be thrown oil
their eduilibrium. When they were brought here
and searched, Fisk had gold watch and 80 cents
in money in his possession, and irwin had five
chambered revolver, pass over the railroads from
New-Yor to St. Joseph. and also the letter asking
Tor the pass The pass had been used. The
men wore very ordinary clothing, and would not |
strike one as being the sort of men who owned SO
mary bonds Irwin said that he had anything TO do |
with the bonds only for one night, and FISK stated
that he got them from man out West naned Pierce
lie did not seem to know anything about Pierce Fisk
gave his occupation real estate operator irwin
said that he was a Spectator and that he had been
staying at the AstOr House and Fisk at the Sture-
want The men have been TO tins city Two or three |
times; that is very. evident They have |
been seen i'll the street had m cppn Wi'n and
who is known as "A negotatOr of bad bonds and |
this contributed largely to throw suspicion upon |
them in the first instance. There are often cases IN
which il don't do to he too quick. Sometimes 1t IL |
best TO wait a while and let things take their |
course if any negotiations going on LET them be
finished aud then you are sure OF your thief. This |
reasoning will apply to this case We |
have not got the proof positive on these |
Two men as vet, hut every hing points |
TO their guilt and we hope to make it conclusive.
We are awaiting advices from ST. Joseph. We know |
that big revolution has been going on there, and
lately new men have into power and |
are looking into the accounts of the old |
crowd Now everything makes mo believe that these |
mon 81 her stole the bonds for themselves or stole
them for others-probably of the old city Govern
ment." ,.oc w r
win. st. Joseph Mo-. registered there, in company |
Mnrnh hnN