New-York tribune., 1886-08-03
DISAPPEAR4NCE or AN ESTATE.
CAUSE OF A BOs ron LAWYERS ARREST.
J. A. l.. WHITTIER CHARGED WITH EMBEZzLING
HIS CLIENTS FORTUNE.


J. A. l.. WHITTIER CHARGED WITH EMBrzzLING
HIS CLIENTS FORTUNE.
Boston, Aug 2 (Spocidp. Something of a sensation
has been caused here by the arrest to-day ofa we'll
known member of the Boston bar, j. A. l.. Whittier,
who is charged with embezzling trust funds. Mr..
Whittier is about forty five and of fine presence
lie wasa member of the Suffolk bar and had an
Office in the Rialto Building Until recently he was
member of the firm of Whittier. Ewing & Co.. woollen
manufacturers his interest in the firm being bonght
by Mr.. Ewing II is whispered that after his return
from recent European trip Mr.. Ewing discovered
such irregularities in the management of the business
BY his partner during his absence that he induced
to the partnership with as great CELEBRITY as
possible Mr. Whittier several years ago married n
grandniece of Miss Harriet A. Reid elderly woman
of considerable fortune occupying beautiful house
at the South End Miss Reid the residnary
gatce of an amt and thus became the posscsso OF
comfortable fortune estimated at from 500, 600 to
$3.50 600 This consisted in part of a valuable piece
of real estate In MIX ST and another in fremont tst..
covering portion of the site of the newly erected
building occupied in part by Messrs. s. S Pierce Co.
The propcty included also stocks in various corpora
tions among which were the Boston and Providence.
the Boston and Albany and the Boston and Name
railroad companies and other equally sound securities
Mrs. Whittier, tho grandniece of Miss Reid was a
iavorite relative, and partly on this account ana
partly doubtless account Of his own gcntlcman'v
qualities Mr. Whittier was made the confidential
agent of Miss Reid in the management of The property
into tn possession of which she had come. and a
power OF attorney from Miss Reid t. Mr. Whittier was
executed His control of her property from the
beginning was pIaiicaclly absolute. When invest
mcnts or changes OF investments were thought hrSt
Mr. Whittier made them with little or no consultation
with the real owner and frequently without Irr
knowledge. All papers brought Ia her by him Tor
signature were unhe-itatngIy signed. Whenever
funds for personal use were desired by MiST hc'I
they were promptly furnished by the conhdent'Hi
AGENT Within the at few years however Miss h"lH
has noticed that her supply of rcany cash has been
considerably curailcd nj times To cause ne, some
little This has hccn a'c"un"h Tor pF
Mr. Wniificr by stating that the income rom rents
and stocks had been materially ess'ned through
lack OF general business prosperity: -
Last spring Miss Rcid requested VIZ, Whittier 10 iur-
nsh her n schedule % her personal pfoprrtv, wihch
was alter .onc delay prepared for her Two weeks
ago MIR Whittier lett the city for pleasure TIP ana
In his absence rumor- came to the of Miss Rci
~hich led To an examination Of her ahdr7 ihc result
has caused the utmost aspni-hmcnt Stocks OF wlich
Miss Rrid -urpo-cd herself -tl the p"%scs-nr when
appeared upon schedule aud which a. she AYERS.
iayc been sold with hcr consent ar" iouh" 10
have been sold yrar- ago. and Transferred =" 10"
purchaser by Miss Reid+ unh"uht'dly genuine
signature. obtained no one knows how. thorough
comuari-on of the schedule of stocks aud other
.eciritics furnished bv Nh Whittier ~ representing
Ms. KeIds personal estate. WIN mo DOCKS %, w"
various c,rporationa there dc.gnst"d. revealed ~"
fact that none of these securities roma III her pos
session. All haze disapp"are'i. Tho real "-tni" m
Tremontst was sold with her consent and approval,
Tor the sum OF 81 600 with the distinct undersiand-
Ing TIA tho procotd- ~"r" 30 b" invested ~ bo~oh
and evidence Railroad and in Calumet tnd h"'I'
stock II is accrtaincd that these stocks we're never
purchased although appearing on the sch"dn".
Indeed. lar as has been a-c"fiainrl. me 'n''''
pcr.onal c.iafc OF Ni-s Reid the amount ot from
800 600 TO l2J 600 has disappeared. Nher" II
has gone Mr. Whittier better than any one else can
tell 1t Is also learned that the taxes npon her
real c-tlte which Miss Reid supposed 10 have
been paid long ago still remain unpaid.
Whittier Expressed much surprise and horror when
arTcsicd but declined 10 talk