The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-03-15
MOURNING BEN RAISER.
Chief Murphy Tells How the "Lone
Fishermanp Got His Title.

Chief Murphy Tells How the "Lone
Fishermanp Got His Title.
One of Jersey City's well known poIiti-
clans has disappeared from view and with
his exit an echo OF bygone days rever-
berates upon tie public ear. 1t Is a
golden echo, too, though one of the prin-
cipal characters in the event is today but
clay.
Benjamin Kaiser, who was familiarly
known as the Lone Fisherman has re-
signed his post at the door of the Fourth
precinct station house, and gone to an
other sphere in answer 10 his death sum
mons. The Lone Fisherman died on
Friday night after long and wearIsome
illness at the age Of seventy-eight years.
The principal event In connection with
the Lone Fisherman'sn life was the ceIe-
brated gold brick" swindle of 1881, and
as Sc veral conflicting stories have found
their way into print in connection with
this affair, naturally presumed that the
people of Jersey City would like to read
the genuine story through the medium Of
HE SUNDAY MORNING NEWS with the aid
of Chief Murphy. With this object in
tum at headquarters aud asked him ii he
remembered the gold brick swindle.
The gold brick swindies Wen, yes;
think do"
We'll. Chief. the readers of THE SUN
DAY MORNING NEWS would like TO hear
the story"
THE GOLD BRICK swINDLE.
"All right. responded the Chief, "but
must 20 back little Ben Kaiser was
appointed doorman by Commissioner
WrighJ in 1873. Ben WAS one OF the best
known men 10 Jersey City and vicinity,
and as a jolly, good na5ured fellow he
had few equals.
ION OCTOBER s, 1881, received informa-
ton that the OLD gold brick swindle was
about to be worked in this vicinity and
after some Investigation located John c.
Van Horn, who was generally known rs
Mill Creek John, as the intended victim.
lie lived in tile old homestead which his
f1ref4thers had built in Communipaw.
near Mill Creek, which was once known
as New Netherlands
Il found out that Mr.. Van Horn had
drawn large sum of money from the
Second National Bank, which further
strengthened my suspicious. and calling
Captain AicKaig and Detective Hottie I
detailed them 10 investigate the case, aud
they reported having seen two men mold
ing Mr.. Van Horn IN conversation. The
men were rugged up In genuine frontier
style, big, broad brimmed sonibreros, and
generally desperate looking individuals
w hen this was reported TO me found
Mr.. Van Horn, and. after some conyers a.
ton with him, elected from him that my
suspicious were correct. Negotiations
had been pending for the sale of TWO
bricks of solid gold TO Mr.. Van Hor n.
The swindlers had explained to Mr. Van
Horn that they had come into posses sion
of the bricks by means OF an accom- plice
who had stolen them from the Sub Treas
ury at San Francisco After the whole
thing had been explained to AIR. Van
Horn l induced him TO continue the ne
getlations in hopes Of proving complete
case against the swindiers.
HE agreed and next day the swindlers
appeared provided with the bricks. A
brace and bit was procured and the
fakirs produced some filings for inspec-
tiOn, which were pronounced genuine.
The sale was arranged to take place next
morning, aud detailed Captain McKaig,
Detective Ryan, who has died since, De-
tective Hottie and Patrolmen Snow,
Veers ami Greed TO guard all avenues OF
escape
FISHERS OF MEN.
"ben Kaiser aud Policeman Greed had
boat on Mill Creek, and Hottie was rugged
up as pafnter-inmper, overalls, paint
pot and alton the banks Of that roman
tic but ill-smelling stream. While Hottie
was III this attire along came Mr.. Charles
llbbetts, alias Boston Tibbetts. the prin-
cipal swIndler, and he Immediately offered
Hottie a joo to phint barn. just then
Ben Kaiser came in view in the boat, aud
Mr.. Tihbetts sung OUT
+" Hello. pop: what luckf What are
you catching?
" On. nothin' much; only suckers and
one Thing or another
'sAir Iinbetts then moved on aud as
Captain Mckalg concluded it was about
time that the deal was ended, be ordered
the detail 10 close in, which they did, and
though the swindlers got wind of the
affair, they were run down and Tibbetts
and Charles c. White. alias Thomas
snow, were landed in the Fourth precinct
station house, bricks ana all
THE first person Mr. Tibbetts saw
when he entered the station house was
Ben Kaiser. He nonchalently greeted
him with Hello. Pop, What did you
catch-suckersy
YES" growled Kaiser; got you
two /"
Charley Winfield. the present prose-
cutor. defended them, and to the aston
ishmens OF Judge, police aud everybody
else they were acquitted. Judge Garrison
Immediately discouraged the jury from
further duty and declared that he had
never heard such an astounding verdict
before.
II still have the bricks in our museum
aud Both White and Tihberts are working
the same old racket Il Is only few
months ago that they secured 5000 down
South on bogus gold bricks. Tiboetts