Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-06-04

DAILY MT
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James II. Langley, alias DR.. Langley,
alias J. Henry Langley, who is known
the country as tho King of
Sunday. For years he has operated in
leading cities as promoter Of stock Job
bing I" corporations organized on paper
for swiDdling purposes. Some weeks ago
complaints were made to Chief Nem, Of
Icy and others were engaged in . hugo
of the United States Construction
and Investment COMPANY" The COM
plainants asserted that the COMPANY was .
fraud, and that they had been heeced of
amounts varying from 600 to 81, 900 each.
The officers found that tho company had
no existence, and that Langley was the
Same person who had several years ago
fled from Boston after defrauding many
people. The company's headquarters
were elegantly fitted mp and occupied by
. large lumber of clerks, mostly victims
of Langley, who had been induced to in
vest their savings in order to get situa.
tioDs, and who received no salary, all
being " secured" by blocks of stock in
the company. The company sent out q
beautifully printed prospectus setting ont
that the concern had 5000, 900 capital
stock, was authorized by its charter to
buy, sell and deal in new inventions for
railway service, to secure patents and to
organize corporations to develop improve.
ments and enterprises connected with
railway service to negotiate for capital
to promote such enterprises !; to buy aud
sell railway stocks and securities and own
real or personal property necessary or con-
venient for the business Of the corporation.
The prospectus stated that the company
had correspondents in all railway cities
throughout the world, and that the capi-
tai stock was fully paid, with large sur
plus in the treasury. The company was
organized under New York laws last year,
the names of the incOrpOratOrs being given
as Alfred H. Boyd. Alfred T. Ackert and
o. w. Joslyn, of New York, and John F.
Langley and one Martin. The existence
of the three alleged New Workers could
not be ascertained. John F. Lang.
ley was found to be an uncle
of James Henry Langley. Martin says
his name was forged. Among the assets
claimed by the company was the whole
town known as Bridgeport, Texas. With
this town the company claimed to hold at
its disposal $50, ,O0O, 900 acres. tho value of
which was presented as fabulous. The
victims were many. His victims among
inventors and young men having cash and
seeking employment were numerous. A
"limited live stock express company"
intended to dupe live S :ock raisers of the
Western states, was also organized and run
by Langley, but how much be realized
from this source is not known. In addi-
ton the officers find that during the past
five years Langley has organized score of
bogus concerns. In 1879 he opened an
Office under the firm name of d. T. Lang
ley & Son, of New York.
The Office was to be used as an agency
for the sale of patent medicines. He
advertised for linen of capital" many of
whom it is alleged he swindled. The
stock of the " agency was found to con-
sist of square blocks of wood SO labeled as
to convey the impression that they were
packages containing medicines. Later on
he organized the " Anti-Fat aud Anti
Lean company under the law of New
Hampshire the "West India Guano
company" at Portsmouth the Mexican
Guano company in Maine the Anti
| Fraction Car Box company" in New
York, and the "National Anti. Fraction
Car Box company" at Chicago. The
Continental Construction company
which had many victims in Boston, was
another of his schemes. In connection
with the latter concern was Boston gen.
tleman named Morrell. Later on the
mortgage of the company Oh the old state
prison buildings, at Concord, N. H., was
foreclosed and Mr.. MOrrell found himself
held responsible for debts contracted by
Langley. Mr.. Morrell came out of the
investment with loss Of 500, 900.
After Continental'' Langley start
ed the Franklin Foundry COM
pany," in Maine, tho Anti Eric
ton Journal bearing company, Of New
York, ;" and the "Jewett Wrecking com
pany" at Portland. All bis concerns
proved worthless, while his victims were
legion. He is supposed to have numerous
cOnfederates in various parts of the coun
wy WV VI "uoAu, ~ 10 hAlCSCus dIO
Monroe Hunter and James De Mandcvillc,
who last September opened an Office iu
Boston and swindlcd many people, and who
are under indictment at Northampton for
swindling farmers by raising notes given
them for moving machines.
Langley is said to have served q term in
the New York penitentiary, and also to
have several indictments standing against
him in the West. The costly furniture
and trappings of the I" Construction CON-
pany y" were mOrtgaged by him somo time
ago. Some weeks ago John FL. Langley
wrote to the "doctor," who was
stopping in New York, that he was
impoverished, and asking that his stock
be turned into money, adding that if he
was not cared for he would expose the
whole party. The doctor replied telling
his uncle he would see bim in Boston this
week. The reply fell into tho hands of the
police and led to DR.. I.angley's arrest. He
is in Jail under bonds of $40, 600 which will
probably be increased to 800, ,00O During
the past few weeks he has been in New
York making arrangements to establish
the headquarters of his land syndicate
there. he recently opened an office on
Broadway and it is understood that many
sharp New Workers we're associated with
him in the enterprise.
NEWS MISCELLANY.
Paragraphs OF varied Intorest.
Tho onroo1 Of Mor.,nn;e,.o -