Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-09-15
Bridging the St. Lawrence.
IVES, FORGERY.
Bold Attempt to Rob the Estate of Il
Dead Millionaire


New YORK, September 14th.-The Eysu
ing Sun, in its last edition, prints a sensa
tional story of an attempt to rob the estate Of
the late Christopher Meyer of 100000 by
means of forgery, and charges Henry S
Ives with the crime. The Sans headlines
are as follows: lives as Forger! DE.
tails of His Bold Scheme to Rob Chris,
topher Meyers Estate.-Seven Million
Dollars was the Booty.-Ives Traced the
Dead Mans Initials and Stavnor Touched
Them Up.-Perjury was but an Incident -
The Master Thief Calmly Told Woodruff
the Details He was to Swear
The san says: Henry s. yes, who has
been so often and so truly referred to in
these columns rs the master thief, also
ranks high among forgers. The narrative
will show that he by the forgery of two
initials, &C." on" was in a fair way to
obtain at least 100000 in cold cash and
open the till which contained something
more than 100000
Ives added to this previous crimes, that
of forgery, in the latter part of last Deem
Der. This fact is published day for the
first time, and can be substantiated when
ever it shall become necessary.
For several years back Meyer had deal
ings with Staynor " hich had resulted the
worst for Meyer to the tune of about $780,
600. Staynor was indebted for about that
sum to Meyer, and after going into insolv-
ency compromised the deDt, leaving bal
ance of many thousand dollars unpaid.
When Staynor and Ives became squeezed
for funds StayBor bethought himself of q
novel and effective expsdient for recaptur-
ing old Meyers confidence and making
him a contributor to the scheme in which
be had embarked with the thieving Ma
paleon.
After drawing ON the Mineral Range
fund, of which Ives e Co. had made them
selves the depositors, and ediately
after they had got control of the road,
Staynor presented himself TO Meyer in a
high moral attitude. He declared to Never
that he had come to perform what he con-
sidered his duty as a Christian and an
honest man. That he was now happily in
funds sufficient to discharge the last cent
of his obligation. and that it was for that
praisworthy purpose he called.
Meyer from that time on gave implicit
credence t. all of Staynor s declarations and
was on persuaded by him to give his aid
to the syndicate formed by Ives, Staynor
and Meter.
He agreed to receive for them when pur-
chased and brought to New York total of
5000 shares of the G. II. & d. common
stock, at an average price not to exceed
115 per cent, and to carry it for them, re-
ceivipg per cent for the use of his money
on this arrangement, which was practic-
ally loan by Meyer to that extent upon
the stock, since it was agreed that Ives and
Staynor should cast a vote upon it all the
elections of the road and at the stock
holders meetings. This agreement was
carried out by Meyer to the letter.
siThe stock was neld in his name during
all the existence of the swIndling firm of
H. s. Ives & Co., and when the inevitable
exposure and crash came, it was still so
held.
The exposure of Ives and Staynor's I'M
scrupulousness, and the daily mention of
his own name in connection with them,
and keen sense of disgrace, drove Meyer to
his grave in a few months.
Within three months of Meyers death
there was put into operation, through Ives
agency, scheme to impoverish the Meyer
estate and TO open up to himself and his
onfederates mine of s., 000, 900.
In the fall of 1888, suit was begun in an
Ohio Court by Albert Meter against Henry
s. Ives, George Staynor, and the executors
of the estate of Christopher Meyer for the
balance of the purchase money of his syn
dictate remaining unpaid.
No sooner, however, had the plaintiff
begun the case than the collusiye character
of the action was revealed. Ives and Stay
nor, nominally the defendants, were the
principal witnesses whom the plaintiff
called to prove the claim against them
selves. Neither was solvent, and the man
ifest intention was to turn over to the only
responsible defendant, the estate of Chris
topher Meyer. To make that estate an
sgerable. it was necessary TO prove that
Never had been the partner of the Ives
gang, and as such responsible for all. their