Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-10-05
GIGANTIC ROBBERY.
Startling REGULATIONS of a New
York Law Clerk.
By Cunning Methods ], E. Bedell
Steals $264,000.

James E. Bedell, lawyer of 1861 Lafay-
cite avenue, Brooklyn, who had charge, at
a salary of $500 per annum, of the real es-
tate business of the law firm Of Shipman,
Barlow, Larocque & Choate of 35 William
street. New York city, is prisoner, having
been arrested for defrauding numbers of his
employers clients out of large sums of money.
The entire cheat in forged mortgages,
and the first one that was verided in four
years at the Register Office revealed the en-
tire scheme.
The denouement came about in this way.
Herman Koop of the firm of Herman Koop
& Co., merchants at % William street, was
notified last month by Bedell, with whom he
had had Otner transactions that if he wanted
to invest any spare capital there was good
chance to get a mortgage property in
West One Hundred and Twenty sixth street.
Mr. KOOp jumped at the offer, and the re-
suit was that he parted with $4,000 and re-
ceived mortgage. As do many pros
porous business he put the
mortgage In a drawer to make money
for him while he slept. But he decided on
going to Europe, and looked over his private
papers carefully. Among them was this
mortgage. He looked it over carefully at
first, but a seal on it appeared imperfect, and
more careful scrutiny impeiled him to the
belief that business in the Registrars office
so far as its authorizations went, was done
in very Slipshod manner. He presented the
document at the Registrars Office, the clerk
looked at it, consulted records, and an
filed, and that all the authorizations were
forgeries.
A few minutes after Mr. Koop had talked
with a member of the firm there was con-
sternatiOn and consultation. Mr.. Bedell was
sent for. He came, bland and unctuous, to
collapse and pale when confronted with the
mortgage he had given Mr.. Koop His con-
fessiOn that he had manufactured the docu-
ment followed. Chief Detective Byrnes was
sent for, and he, to avoid premature public
ity, which might be bar to the discovery of
the extent or Bedells villainies, arranged
that Captain William Mclaughlin of the
First Precinct should arrest the forger This
done, he taken before Justice White,
at the Tombs Police Court, where an affidavit
charging a forgery involving $4,000 was
drawn up and signed by the representative
of the law firm. Bedell was then committed
to the of the chief detective.
At Police Headquarters Bedell was sec
reted so that access to him was had solely
through Mr.. Byrnes who had a chat with
him several times Gay. Beden concealed
nothing, and his chief anxiety appeared to
be to clear up his lniquities for the benefit of
his late employers He is As years old, of the
type of bon vivant well educated, bright,
and quick witted. He said he began life as
years ago entered the service of Shipman,
Barlow, Laroque & Choate. He rapidly !
obtained, Or rather compelled, absolute |
confidence, and as rapidly the whole of |
5he FIRMS vast real estate business came
lnder his complete control. For eight years.
ne says, his trust kept unsuIlied by
'aScallty, but he had uncomfortable in
,iinatlon to play atpolicy, and a weakness for
armng and fancy cattle. He had a few
thousand dollars when he entered the service
If the firm, but that money and his salary
we're SO preyed upon by his gambling and
)ucolic Instincts that he became vile and hit
lpOn nefariouS plan to make money. No
me in the United States knew the minutiae
If real estate business better than he, but he
vas astOnished in spite of himself at the ease
With which he disposed of the first forged
mortgage, cheat in every respect, which
letted him the snug of $50, 90.
After this all was plain sailing. The scheme
vas a very simple one. All questions as to
Investments by clients Who had surplus and
ION earning money were referred to him.
The result was that he was literally beseged
~ seekers after interest for their boards and
lie could choose the customers whom to
)alm mortgages worthless as the
PAPER wrapped around a grocery pur-
chase. All he had to do was to select a
7lctim, notify him that he had a neat thing
q real estate and recommend an Investment.
The victim generally seized on the opportu-
llty without delay and inched the transac-
ion by sending a check which covered
he amount of the ''investment' and
he firms law charges The check
vas invariably drawn to the order of
he firm. Bedell's mill ground out the mort
age; in due time the client received it, and
Sedell had the confidence of his employers to
UGH an extent that he received the check Of
hlpman, Barlow, LarOcque & Choate for
he exact amount of the mortgage.
Bedell went over his transactions as well
S his memory and his books would permit,
nd the law firms clerks were busy in dig
ing out the rascalit1eS, and the total of the
teal was announced at S264. 800, most OF !
hitch was gambled away in policy shops