The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-12-06
FORGERY
Cotton Circles Exclied-A Prominent
Cotton buyer Arrested.
Charged with Passing Forged Bllls Of
Lading and Obtaining Funds
Therefor-PulI Account OF Agent
EagtOn's
Criminal Transactions in the Affair.

TON buyer who operates in this city and the
surrounding towns, had been arrested on q
warrant sworn out before Justice Edwards
by Mr.. G.. II. Turner, agent OF the Gould
lines at this point, charging him 18th passing
forged bills Of lading in four different cases.
THE warrants were issued Saturday and
placed in the hands OF Constable Miller for
service, but falling to lind Lohnstien he
teegraphed Marshal Harrison, OF Sher-
man, who made the arrest yesterday moru-
ing about o'clock. The officer arrived In
the city on vest rday mornings south
bound train with his prisoner in charge,
and proceeded directly to the sheriff's office
where numbers of Lohnstien's irlends
flocked to see him and assure hin OF their
belief in hisinnocence. He had no trouble
in giving bond for $500 in each of the four
cases with Messrs. G. G. Wright and Sam
Klein as securities. He was subsequently
re-arrested on similar charges IN
: six cases emanating from the
same source on warrants issued
from Justice Keudalls court, and he read
lily gave bond in the sum OF 81 900 in each
case. Later four more cases were preferred
against him, and when arrested he prompt
ly gave similar bonds in each case. No o'e
cases have yet been preferred, yet it is
understood that there will De in all
some forty cases against him. The cause
leading to the arrest of Mr.. Lohnstein is
briefly as follows Directly u er W. ID:
Easton, the agent of tbs Texas u Pacific at
Sherman absconded, which vas or the
25.h ultimo, his successor received tele-
grams from firms east, asking about cotton,
which they claimed was tardy in its arrival,
and inquiring the cause OF delay.
On investigating the matter it was
discovered that no such cotton had
ever been shipped or entered for shipment.
| Among those who asked was Joe Lohn-
stem, who held bills of lading in the
hands of Easton, the defaulting
agent, for $500 bales. The bills held by
him show that the cotton was billed to his
own name at New Orleans and points east.
The rsilrosd became suspicious, and
an investigation developed the fact
| that Mr.. Lohpsteip, who is
a heavy buyer, had cashed the bills of lad
ing at Oliver & Griggs' bank at the rate OF
$40 per bale, and that the bank had re-
| ceived its money in return from the flrms
to which the cotton is alleged to have been
shipped. The names OF the firms are; raj
man g. Co., Hermann Bros, and Lehman
Bros, New York; Stoddard IL Co, Phila-
delphia Lehman, Abrams d Co. and Fried
lander e. Co., New Orleans; ard some east
ern mills, principally at Fall River, Massa'
chusetts.
A HERALD reporter met Mr.. LohL-'ein
and asked him to make statement OF tht
matter. He said that his arrest was sucn
surprise to him that he could hardly realiZe
that it was true. He asserted his innocence
and stated that he had purchased the cot
ton from G.. J. Anderson, whom he met IN
this CITY, and who had represented himself
as a cotton dealer, and who claimed tC
be q resident Of Vicksburg. Anderson
told him that he was well acquainted III
Sherman, and that in order to save MN
trouble he would ship the cotton, so oi
1000 bales for him, to which propositiol
he consented. Anderson succeeded IT
gaining his confidence and he trusted him
believing him to be strictly honest, anc
that ne was at Sherman looRiUt
and brought back to this city
Anderson is not to be found anywhere, ant
he Lohnstein) is of the opinion that he ha
left the country. Anderson IS about nj
: size, of light complexion and has sandy
colored hair and mustache: Mr.: Lohnstel
and his friends feel confident that every
2 thing will be cleared, and that his lnnocenc
in connection with the affair WI
;, be fully established. Nothing has bee
I heard from Easton, tn ASCENDING agent.
u All sorts of rumors were atioat yesterda
!, as to how much some of our banks, nor
a particularly Messrs. Oliver d Griggs, wer
Q hurt by the foregoing troubles. The trut
z is, we learn, nobody was hurt among thos
e fading drawn by duly authorized ager
i on his principals. If Mr.. Easton as ager
e of a railroad drew drafts as such on partis
i elsewhere under orders, it would seem
/ be a question between those parties an
2 the road of which he was agent, and tl
:, which, acting as suco, ne signed the Dill
7 Messrs. Oliver e. Grigls say they lose nott
. ing whatever, and that they nave pee
: paid back all monies advanced.
IT | TI,a daily IOnripr. OF SATURDAY.
= tells the story of Easton's tranactions:
n Considerable connection was created
J. business circles throughout the city yesle
e day morning when the rumor which hi
o been floating aboutsince Thursday eyenin
e TO the effect that crookedness OF 40 lit
y import bad been discovered at the Texas
u Pacific freight depot, was fully Verifie
!, The facts la the case, as gained rom rell
q HE parties in position 10 know, are as fc
e lows: On the first day OF last August VINE
7, Major II. A. Burnett resigned the positiC
= of station agent at the Texas u Pacii
q freight depot in this city, he was succeeds
- by
u q young man employed by the same roi
y as cashier in the freight office at Dalia
e Easton had been connected with the oil
y in that city for over five years, and for b
D. energy, honesty, and close attention
Is business, was promoted 10 the position
" has occupied in the same department
e tails city since that time. His busine
transactions, while in Dallas, were abo
I, suspicion, in every respect, and he Bad u
y entire confidence OF his employers DID
y his arrival here, although ne ID
been bard worker, numerous complain
~ nave been made by commercial men oil u
i cfty who have transacted business at u
5 freight depot, and outside OF his immedla
e office be had grown very unpopular. Sa
o. urday evening Mr.. Easton announced b
p intention of visiting Galveston for the pu
y pose Of consulting with some OF the oincla
le Of the road at that point. There was mott
ms unusual ia this ard no suspicion VI
D aroused as 10 his real design until be faile
'. ~ return home on Wed sesday. the day y
y for his coming. On Thursday bis iailul
d 10 nut In an appearance naturally cause
some uneasiness on the part OF his Chi
le clerk and cashier, and they at once tel
grabbed the railroad authorities a. Galye
? In 10 learn Of bis whereabouts and u
d reason OF his continued absence. The a
!. swer soon came back that Mr.. Eastt
v hsd not been In that city, nor did The
= knov of his whereabouts. Not until the
= Aid his under employees fully compreher
70 the cause Of his absence and the true stu
= ton IL Affairs. An investigation was In
!, mediaiely begun, and the startling disco
% cry made that between nine and Y
= tbcussnd dollars in money, belonging
the railroad company, YES ARISING. 4
agent 10 charge. the money was In Bastor
heuds and but one conclusion could
rpasorably arrived 81, and that vss thu
:. hsd sbsconded. taking with him all q
:, cssh In sight. When all the mysssTio
~ circumstances surrounding the @
were fully developed, this ooDcl
= non vas verified beyond dOui
Is-rp suns Of money are
p ceived daily - The freight Ofict, aud u
:. the duty Of the agent 20 purchsse drAi
u md In that rnsnner transmit the amour
n - fhe Rtns-ni ofice e. 81 Louis- ia
dufT. f1r several usys pss;, hsf not be
p performed 81 ksst0n. hrs excuse beng u
urNarns Would - NauE
b. psrtiss hsTinE cisinls agniust The On
a siIf BE- You'd recesssrily b. compelled
hars q considerable suUurt 81 cash
q hnnd. Az tbs snErestion was rsssonae