New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-21
TITLE-SIGNATURES FORGED.
swINDLING ENGLISH CAPITALISTS.
LANDS IN VIRGINIA VALUED AT $45OOOO SOLD BY
MAN WHO DIDN'T OWN THEM.

LANDS IN VIRGINIA VALUED AT S4oo'ooo soLD bf
MAN WHO DIDN'T OWN THEM.
Abram Suydam, a lawyer living at No. 149
Waverley-place. was arrested at his home on
Thursday evening by Detective McNaught'
of Inspector Byrnes's squad. aud Locked up
at Police Headquarters. The charge against
him IS that OF swindng and raise
representations i'm connection with the bogus sale
and transfer of 600 600 acres of land in Virginia.
Sometime in the latter part of 1882. Mr.. Ellis
bousen. a Nova Scotisn, who was in this city on
business, made the acquaintance of james Madison
Flagg of Chicago. Flagg represented TO the Nova
Scotian that he was the owner of an immense tract
of land lying In Washington and Buchanan counties
in Virginia. He described their mineral and timber
resources in such fulsome terms that he got Ellis
housen interested. He made Flagg An oher tor the
lands. Finally after much negotiation. EIlsbousen
and an Englishman, Captain Albert b. cunning
ham, OF Glasgow struck bargain, by when they De-
came possessors of the entire tract for the snug te
sum of S450,OO0. Cunningham paid an instaIment
OF 5000 to Flagg and then with Ellishousen ieit
this city for Glasgow to induce capitalists IN that
city TO interest themselves in the Wld mineral
lands of Virginia.
The two men reached Scotland last February.
They found no difficulty in exciting the
favorable interest of Scotch capitalists, but
inc the titles and abstracts of the land in question
before any more money was paid on It, skilful
Iawyer of Edinburgh d. Forbes Dallas of the hrm
of Warden, Pr1ngle & Dallas, told the capitalists
that il would be necessary 10 examine the land
records in that part of Virginia where the land was
situated.
Accompanied by Captain Cunningham, Marcus
Robinson n Glasgow attorney and Captain
Dudgeon. Of London, Mr.. Dallas came to America
and went to Abngdon,Va., the county seat OF WASH
ineton. wherein 100000 acres Of the tract were
said 10 lie reaching there March 20. D. +. Lent
shrewd young attorney Of Lebanon, va, was re-
tanned 10 assist them in their legal researches IL
| was almost Immediately discovered ta'
| the copies of deeds and abstracts when
! had been given 10 Cunningham and EllisLousen
| bv Flagc were fraudulent. The clerk Of the Court
of Washington County whose i slehatdiSS ~ Sht +bn
these abstracts, said he was disposed 10 douot lnG
Genuineness OF his signature aItnougn pe " the
| not positively deny II. The titles 10 part " n nIo
lands were kept in Grundy, the county scat oI D1
cbanan County which only recently had Oeen pnthgu'
and the records had perished IN the names lhe
! County on the abstracts furnished by tIaPg' TT44s
| found to be false, and not even an imitation: nc
! vas not even Clerk at the time the abstract puI-
| norttng 70 have been signed by him was mace. IN
dition the signature OF the Judge VINO ProIesseo
to certify TO the accuracy OF tne aOs,lSe,1 9 con. on
false signature OF gentleman VINO Fesiueu al Z" WI
siderable distance from the scene. ~. - .ho
| Here were two forged signatures, that OF the
Clerk and that Of the Judge. The seal on the Ger
| tifc.,es however was genuine In no case was the
title OF any land found 10 be IN rlagg. some PaIs
of the land was discovered but IN every case IL Vas
| held by third parties in lawful seizure. Inc law
yers did not tarIy 10 try anu ferret Ou ne ISl IL
| inc 300 600 acres but came back 10 New lOIA ~
hunt mp Mr.. Flagg. ....i.br,o,,
| FIagg expressed great surprise and astonlshhlens
when told of the failure 10 ind the GOOOOu acres.
lie denied any criminal intentions, aud sald that ne
had eruployed Suydam 10 investigate the tltles 10
] i'm
| cerfiticatcs lie had implicit trust Ia Suydam, ana
| thought he had secured periect ttle' ouy !
| wa. then called upon o. explain. he stated
| tbat personally. and counsel Tor fiagg' ne
baI exarnned the titles and records OF the virginia
| courts and knew that the titles were perfect Ss
| tbis exception-that where membranes existed
| on the land he had employed Corey Gibson, young
man living in Virginia 10 clear up the way 70 ciean
| titles. Perhaps G. bison had deceived hlm'
! lie pretended not 20 know whether I'D
| son was a lawyer where was MS
residence He made out the abstracts from nateIiai
| f,rni.hed him by Gibson. Some of the material
was also IN DOUBT about. She lived III TINS city ie
| thought in Secout-aye near stuyVesaht .I az a. A.
! snyGam was given day IN which 10 produce tllhS'
| the memoranda from which ne coupllcu mo AZ
stracts or else TO find Miss Dram. railing
| 10 do either. the aid Of Inspector byiue'
! was invoked Suydam was weil-AnOwh 20 tue
! police having been arrested twice before, 0oI11
| F,mes for falsely swearing that he owned land
which he did not Once he was arrested IN = ChIoLgV'
| The Inspector Immediately sent Detective NC
| Naurht after Suydam. lie IS n married man Win
! family The Engllshmcu express great lnulgua-
tom al what they think is the customary American
attclnpt TO swinde unsuSpectug English capitalists