Evening journal., 1888-12-17
LAST EDITION
CtiATEAUBRiAND AT DOVER.
Joseph stoeclSle of this city Assessed
by Him for $40 AdditlonaI-A Good
Business While II Lasted.
By Letter to EVENING JoURNAL.

- A<et1NA ~ ~ hNANN J0IhNAB
Dover, Del Dec. 17-Fully two
months ago the EVENING JOURNAL cor
respondent called attention to peculiar
actions of one Bruce Chateaubriand ?
which had aroused not only the curiosity
but indignation of the residents of upper
Bradford street Chateaubriand dropped
into Dover on the midnight train south
on September 8, last, accompanied by his
wife, child and nurse. He secured
accommodations at the Capital Hotel.
He claimed to be detective, and to a
friend in confidence he told that he had
been employed by the father of one of
the young ladies attending the Confer
ence Academy to watch the young ladies'
boarding house connected with that in
stitution and to prevent an "ex
pected elopement. This accounted
for his nightly promenades on Bradford
street. There was nothing Of the hermit
about Chateaubriand. On the eontrarv
he was hustler from hustlersburg.
0entlemanly in department. apparentlv
well educated wen read certainly and
good talker, he was not slow in max
ing acquaintances, and it was not lone
before he had ingFatiated himself into the
good graces Of Doyers best known busi
ness and professional men.
He then set on foot scheme 10 organ-
lze a detective agency on the mutual
dement, plan. He explained the modus
operandi Of the affair to George A. Mil
Ington proprietor of the Capital Hotel.
Il. N. Dunn Of the Index, Colonel Z. 7.
Cooper and Detective II. H. Hutchins. At
his request these gentlemen met with
Chateaubriand and had an informal talk
about the matter. 10 vouch for his re-
liability the organizer presented recon-
mendations from various business men
in Wilmington and these were genuine.
because not only was the hand writing
familiar, but it was well known here
that at least three years Chateaubriand
had been employed by the films
whose letters he bore, especially as
collector of bad debts. Upon these
recommendations the gentlemen named
above consented to look into the matter
and another meeting was arranged for
but it was never held, Chateaubriand did
not believe in any snail S movement. He
started the organization at once, had cir
culars printed on which appeared the
names of F. NJ Dunn, president George
a. Millington, secretary and treasurer
n. II. Hutchins, detective for Delaware
and Maryland B. Chateaubriand, general
superintendent and colonel +. T. Cooper.
counsel The membership fee was fixed
at S25, 80 per cent. of which was TO 90 to
Chateaubriand for expenses in drumming
up members. a certain per centage to the
officers for making cut and signing the
certificate of membership and the bal
ance was to so into fund, which was
to be held in reserve to replace any posi-
bic losses the members might incur
through theft.
The matter appearing straight and
Chateaubriand being well recommended.
the officers allowed the matter to pro
ceed and in a week time Mr. Millington
had signed twelve membership certff-
Gates which Chateaubriand brought to
him to sign. Out Of all these no cash
came in for the reserve fund Nor
were any fees offered to the officers for
their trouble, and when Chateaubriand
brought another batch of certificates to
MI. Millington to sign, that gentleman not
only refused to attach his name but gave
notice that he would have nothing fur
ther to do with the organization. This |
however, did not seem to interfere with
Chateaubriand's plans, as, it is said. he
appointed Charles Butler secretary and
went on securing members until it is now
stated that he had gathered together 125 |
members before he left for Norfolk
Colonel Cooper informed the EVENING |
JOURNAL correspondent last night that |
he had met Chateaubriand three years
ago in Wilmington; that he personally |
knew he was engaged by several we'll |
known firms there to collect moneys in |
different parts of the peninsula, and that |
when he asked him to become counsel for |
the new association he informed
him as lawyer that his legal
services were always to be had
for any legitimate cause. Chateaubriand
by the way, while here was also agent for !
the encyclopaedia Brittanica, and Colonel
Cooper purchased a complete set from
him on his first arrival here. F. NJ |
Dunn, like Mr.. Millington and Colonel !
Cooper, said last night that he had never |
received a cent from the certificate bust !
ness, and in fact had about forgotten the |
association.
In all his doings here only one
act of Chateaubriand' can now be
recalled that smacked of crookedness. !
w. Wilkinson of the firm of Wilkinson
4 Mccoy, manufacturers oleine cloths at |
Lowsdale, England. who had in some
way became acquainted with Chateua-
BRAND, came here in the latter part of
September and engaged Chateaubriand
to prosecute Philadelphia firm that had
obtained some goods from the English |
AtA-s 81 A4E AAAhh CpV8 HdAb Va nuitn Ndb
to be used in securing the SER
vices of a lawyer to conduct the case. |
Chateaubriand took the cash and the |
Englishman departed, but in few weeks |
he was back here again looking for |
Chateaubriand who had already gone to |
Norfolk The Englishman stated that |
he had gone" back on him for the $50. as |
never even looked after the case in Phila- |
delpha
All the Dover gentlemen who were in |
any way connected with the Southern |
Detective" concern, wish the public |
through the JOURNAL to understand that |
their connection with it has ceased and |
that proposed members had better 90 |
slow in the kmatter. THAT Chateau |
BRAND had secured members outside Of |
Dover or Kent county is proven by the |
fact that Colonel Cooper on Saturday re.
ceived a letter from Joseph Stoeckle |
of Wilmington, who says that
he had paid $25 to become member and
that now he has received a letter from
Chateaubriand, telling him that he has
been assessed an additional S15. Mr.
Stoeckle wanted tolSnow what TO do about
it, Colonel Cooper Immediately notified
Mr.. Stoeckle to pay out no more money
Rumered Attempt at Robbery.