The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-18
JOHN HOEY.

The announcement that the Adams Ex-
press Company has instituted suit against
John Hoey for million dollars, of which it
claims that he defrauded the corporation of
which he was manager, is a surprising illus
tration of the vicssitudes OF fortune.
Nearly half century ago John Hoey be-
came one of the carriers Of the express COM
rany which Alvin Adams had established,
under The name of the Adams Express in
1910. By energy and asSduity he rose to
be the New FORK agent of the express, and
subsequently when the head Office of the
company was removed TO New York he be-
came its manager. He was employed in that
capacity when, IN 1919, he married a popular
actress of the day, whose name was Mrs.
Russell. His salary was small, and his wife
remained on the stage after her marriage;
il was as Mrs, Hoey that she made her
reputation, and was known to the last
generation Of theater-gOers. She was
handsome woman and a pleasing actress.
Ola New Workers remember her playing at
Wallack's, with her husband in the first
row of the orchestra stalls watching her.
As the Adams Express Company in
creased its business and its income the cir
cumstances OF its manager improved, and
before the beginning of the war he was
considered fairly rich. During the war he
had access to early information, aud was
supposed to have made good use of his op-
p0rtunities. BY the time Grant became
President he was Teckoned to be q mill
ionaire. He had bought some time before a
cottage at Long Branch; he kept adding to
his land when occasion served, until he
found himself pOsSessOr OF princely estate,
which was kept up in such elegant style
that it became one Of the show places Of the
East Friends bought alongside him;
among others Richard Murphy, who was
high in favor with General Grant, and was
supposed to be making large fortune. The
President himself was induced to accept a
cottage in the neigh borhood, and it was un-
der5tood that much Of the financial business
Of the Government was transacted at Long
Branch, and that those who had finger in
the pie were very lucky indeed. This hal
cyon period came to an end with the close
of Grants second term.
Murphy died suddenly and to the sur
prise of every one left nothing. People
began to look askant at Hoey, especially
when it turned out that all his property was
in his wife's name. But he kept up his
style Of living. and exhibited so many signs
of wealth that after a time the stories of
his embarrassment died out. 1t appears
that about this time he began the business
of using the express company, which trusted
him implicitly, II enrich himself. When
ever an individual or a syndicate estab-
lished an express business on one of the
routes of the Adams Company it was the
policy Of the latter to buy them out. Hoey
conceived the idea of acting as a go-be-
tween; he bought the rivals business for
himself and sold ii to himself. as agent for
the company. at an advanced price. Even
with this source of income he seems to
have had no money and had to take in part
ners to supply the funds for his transac-
tions. But that he transacted his trade ON
large scale may be inferred from the fact
that the company's claims ON him amount
to million dollars.
And now ne has come 10 the end of his
tether. Whether he has done anything
which constitutes, technically, a criminal
offense remains to be seen. His property is
probably secure in his wiie's name, but his
career is sped, and man who twenty
years ago was dispenser OF place and
chum of President will henceforth be
thankful for obscurity to hide his head.