Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-21
MISSING LINKS.

Capture in New York of Eleven Boxes of
Stock Books and Other Documents Need
ed in the Fight Between the Western
and Mutual Unions Telegraph Com
panies---Papsrs Hid Away In a Public
Warehouse.
New YORK, Jan. 2O.-The World this
Sunday morning publishes the follow
ing: Eleven large boxes containing books
and papers belonging to the Mutual Union
Telegraph company were discovered yes
terday in an obscure auctioneer's shop
in Jersey City. The motive
for storing the books and papers in
such place would be an unfathomable
mystery, were it not for the fact that At
torney General Russell has just made ap-
plication for leave to begin action against
the Mutual Union company to vacate its
charter on the grounds that it had violated
its provisions by an overissue of stock,
and it is therefore reasonable to surmise
that these books and papers con-
tain facts which certain directors
of the Mutual Union company wish to
conceal. The boxes, however, have been
in Jersey City for three months, which
shows that there was long ago a fear of
some exposure. The story of the discov-
err is a most interesting one. According
to James NJ. Davis, justice of the peace, GER
tain detectives in sNew Jersey have been
for some time on the outlook for large
quantity of silk which was stolen. In their
search they stumbled against certain mys
ferrous boxes stored in the warehouse of
Lewis Z. Wood, Montgomery street. The
detectives on making an examination,wer
surprised to find not silk but property
clearly belonging to some telegraph com
pany. The fact was Immediately commu-
nicated to the officials of the Western
Union Telegraph company. Mr.. W. G.
Humstone, of Gen. Eckert's Office, was
then detailed to Investigate. The Western
Union company, it is!said, has been sub
ject to number of petty thefts of late,
and it was thought the property might be
some stolen from the company.
Mr. Humstone went Immediately to Jer-
sey City and upon examination of one of
the boxes discovered large leather trunk
within, containing case of papers filed in
an orderly manner. A slight examination of
these showed that some, if not all, belonged
to Mutual Union Telegraph company.
Mr.. Brown, general superintendent of the
Mutual Union,was notified and with Hum
stone went to Jersey City, where the trunk
was opened and it is said Brown identified
the papers as belonging to the Mutual
Union company.
JERSEY CRY, Jan. 20.-The city is over
run tonight with reporters inquiring as to
the mysterious contents of eleven large
l..
books and stock certificates of the Mutual
Union Telegraph company, but all infor-
nation was refused. It was learned,
however, that a man giving the name
of j. M. Hughes called at the auction
rooms of Lewis F. Wood, 90 Montgomery
street, in the latter part of November with
eleven large boxes which he wanted stored.
The boxes were placed in the rear of part
of the auction rooms, where they remained
till this afternoon, when the storage ON
them was paid and the boxes taken away
by car man. In the meantime the po-
lice learned that the officials of the Mutual
Union Telegraph company were looking
for the boxes, and Detective Kilculey visit
ed Mr.. Hermston of the Western Union
company, who obtained search
warrant from Justice Davis. It
was discovered that the boxes
had been placed in the cellar of the ship
chandlery store of Haines & Hallock, on
Hudson street. Two lawyers procured the
key to ship chandlery store and seized
the boxes. The warrant issued by Justice
Davis recites the facts that the boxes and
contents are the property of Mutual Union
and were taken surreptitiously by en-
ployes or former employees of the COM
pany. Jay Gould, as director of the
Mutual Union, directed the seizure of the
boxes.