Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-01
In THE LAWS TOLLS.
Agent Seton Appears in Alderman
McKenna's Office, and Is
ARRESTED ON NINE CHARGES.
Over One Hundred Indignant Stockholders
Make InformationS.
CHICAGO PEOPLE DENY THE CHARGES

crowded into Alderman McKenna's Penn
avenue Office yesterday afternoon at 3o'clock
to hear the trial of Seton & Dunn, the
Pittsburg representatives of the National
Capital Savings, Building and Loan Soci.
ETY., of Chicago, charged with conspiracy to
defraud and false pretenses.
Three o'clock was the hour set for the
hearing, but the minutes rolled by one after
another, and still no trial People poured
in at the doors, and In a short time both
apartments of the 'Squire's Office were
jammed with persons, young and old, who
had more or less at stake. The crowd
blocked the doorway and stretched far out
on the sidewalk. The alleged fraudulent
transactions of the loan society formed the
one topic of interest, and everybody was
talking about them. The. actions of the
company did not seem exactly clear to the
customers congregated in the Alderman
office. Some expressed the opinion that the
local agents were not actually guilty of in.
territorial fraud, and charged the central Or
ganiz alton with crooked dealing. Others
believed that the national association was a
legitimate corporation, while the Pittsburg
agency was fraud.
PROPOSED INVESTIGATION.
In view of this misunderstanding a num-
Der of those present who were interested dis
cussed the feasibility of appointing a COM
mittee of six or seven to go to Chicago and
institute a thorough investigation of the
business methods of the firm in question.
Some lively talking took place, and the
proposition was favorably considered.
All this time the hearing had not yet
taken place. Impatient voices demanded
that the trial begin. Andrew G. Robertson,
attorney for Eli Dunn and William Harri-
son, and William Reardon, representative
for Thomas j. Seton, were on hand, while
Inspector McAleese and Assistant Police
Superintendent O'Mara dropped in.
s'There they arei" was the excited remark
that passed quickly around when three we'll
known figures entered the magistrate 8
office and pushed their way through the
crowd. One was Thomas j. Seton, who
has been tracked BY the police for the past
few DAYS and could not be found. He was
under bail for 81, 500, to appear at the hear
ing, and came ready for business. but was
hardly prepared for the surprise in store for
him. AS soon as he entered the room
Squire McKenna had him placed under ar
rest to answer to total of nine charges of
conspiracy made against him by people who
had paid him money with the expectation
of receiving loans. This was unexpected to
Seton, and, in default of $1,000 bail on
each of the nine cases, in all $45, 900, he was
committed to Jail.
WANTED A PoSTPoNEMENT.
No. n..u ..d u,-x;.nn +ba txro 9TH or
defendants, made their appearance. At this
point it was proposed to postpone the hear
ing. Inspector McAleese said: About 20
people appeared before me to-day to make
information against this loan society, and
complaints against the company ore coming
in from all sides. In view of the fact that
more and more charges will be made against
Messrs. Seton, Dunn and others within the
next few DAYS, think the hearing should
be postponed until Monday afternoon. in
order to give the numerous other people
time to make their information"
Attorney Reardon opposed this and
wanted to go into a hearing at once. 'If
it is not held he said, 81 will 60 into court
and compel an immediate hearing" Mr..
Reardon intimated that the Squire should
not allow Roger O'Mara and Inspector Nc
Aleese to run his office. This brought the
Magistrate to his feet. 81 want it un-
derstood,' he ssid, "thst neither Mr..
O'Mara, Mr.. MeAleese, nor Mr.. Reardon
can run this office; run it to suit myself,
and if Mr.. Reardon doesn't like it he can go
into court as soon as he pleases. About 100
people have appeared before me to-day to
make a charge of conspiracy against Messrs.
Seton, Dunn and Harrison, and consider
it best to postpone this hearing In order to
give all time to make their information, and
han of ho a
MORE ROOM NEEDED.
"This trial will be continued until next
Monday afternoon at o'clock, in the Gen.
tral station, as this Office is not large enough
to accommodate the crowd of principals,
witnesses, ETC." ...--
At this announcement to postpone the
hearing the crowd lett the office.
Another arrest in the loan association
case was made yesterday, under peculiar
circumstances. Charles Wagler made in
formation against NJ. j. Phillips, an agent
of the building society, charging him with
conspiracy to defraud. A warrant was
issued for Phillips. Mr.. P, una
ware of this, called on Inspector McAleese,
and requested that be be permitted to have
a talk with Harrison and Dunn. The In
spector obligingly consented, and told Mr..
Phillips to 60 to Central station, where he
could converse with Messrs. Dunn. and Har-
rison. Arriving at Central. Mr.. Phillips
was dumfounded to find a warrant for his
| arrest awaiting him. He had walked
straight into the meshes of the law, and was
committed to Jail in default of 81, 500 bail
for hearing on Monday. There are in the
neighborhood of 20 agents for the National
Capital Savings, Building and LoanI Soci-
ETY. in and around Pittsburg, and warrants
are ont for several of them,
GOING TO TALK IT OVER.
Shortly after Alderman McKenna post
poned the hearing, yesterday, meeting OF
the 100 stockholders OF the Building Asso-
citation present was held to further CONSIDER
the proposition to send q representative to
Chicago for the purpose of Investigating the
business operations of the loan company.
1t was suggested to send Roger O'Mara,
and when the matter was broached to the
Assistant Superintendent, he stated that he
would be ready to make the Chicago trip.
1t was decided to postpone the matter until
this evening, when the stockholders will
meet in Squire McKenna's Office at Z
.o'clock.
Inspector McAleese was questioned in re.
| gard to the report that several arrests would
probable be made in Chicago. "We are going
| to hunt this matter down to the bottom, said
the Police Inspector, "and if anyone in
Chicago has fraudulent connections they
will be arrested.
SAY THEY ARE SOLID.
Much feeling is manifested at the head.
quarters of the society in Chicago. The
charges of fraud are emphatically denied
and the following telegram, received last
1 a kI-L Al