The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-12-23
CaSSiuS Read Of the Hoff-
man House Secures
His Arrest.
REAL ESTATE DEAL THE CAUSE.
Mr.. Peshall Refuses to Be Released
on Bail, and Talks About
Mr.. Read.

day afternoon. He was arrested upon a
writ of nc ereat issued by the Chancellor
at the request of Cassius H. Read, one of
the proprietors of the Hoffman House,
New York. Mr.. Peshall is detained be-
cause he refuses to give 5000 bail, al
though 1t has been offered him by a dozen
men.
For thirteen years Mr.. Peshall and
Read have been personal and business
friends OF late they have been partners
in land speculation.
The bill filed in the Court of Chancery
sets forth substantially these facts. About
four years ago Peshall attended a
Sheriff's sale and bought Seventy
eight lots on Cedar avenue
VIII ich runs nearly east and west. Mr..
Peshall did not have the ready money to
pay the ten per cent. down required by
the Sheriff, and he asked for day to get
the money. The time was allowed, and
he borrowed from Cassius H. Reed
nearly $1,000. This money was paid to
the Sheriff. and he had a certain time al
lowed to pay the balance.
CAUSE OF THE PROCEEDINGS.
Lawyer Peshall next Went TO Augustus
Kouutze, the New York banker, and by
giving him a mortgage on the property
and on the homestead of his wife, he Sc
cured money enough to pay TOR the prop
erty and acquire title.
When the title was In his name he con-
ceived the idea that railroad could be
built from Droyer's Point, on the Newark
Bay, TO Caven Point. on the New York
Bay, the road to run through the seventy
eight lots. He contra cted with ex- Mayor
Charles Seialer for the purchase
of lots at Droyer's Point and made con-
Unit o. for =,
water front on New York Bay near
Caven Point, and with Stephen B Vree-
land and Henry Van Nostrand for lands
adjacent These contracts were drawn
mp SO as to allow thirty days for payment
for the property.
Mr.. Read claims that upon the strength
of these contracts Lawyer Peshall Dor.
rowed more money and has continued to
borrow ever since until the amount is
now about $40. 600 Mr.. Peshall agreed to
give Mr.. Read one half of the profits of
the investment. and recently he told Read
that they had an equity of $500, 900 in the
Morris and Gu mmin's contract alone.
READ CLAIMS EVERYTHING
On December Lawyer Peshall wrote
Cassius II. Read that he had sold the
Norris & Cummins contract for S26. 600,
and for Reed to come over and divide the
The check on December 9. Reed con-
sidered that there should be no
divide and that he should receive the
entire amount as part payment OF the
money he asserts is due him.
Read consulted Lawyer E. S. Cowles
and asked Mr.. Cowles to institute pro-
ceedings before the Chancellor for an ac-
counting by Peshall of their business
matters and also to apply for
an Injunction restraining Mr.. Peshall
from disposng of any property he had
sold aud from selling any more until or
dered by the Court to do so.
Mr. Cowles drew the bill and presented
it to the Chancellor Tuesday and it was
signed, aud the following day was
served on Lawyer Peshall. 1t was
made returnable last Monday
and when the parties We're in Court eX
Judge Douglas on behalf of Mr.. Peshall
asked to have the case adjourned for one
week and the Chancellor named next
Monday as the day for the hearing.
Soon after that Lawyer Peshall, it is
alleged. told a number of friends that he
was going to Washington, D. c., TO pass
Christmas, and to North Carolina for Il
few days shooting. When Mr..
for the writ of ne e.reat and
Mr., Peshall was arrested yesterday about
half-past five. The writ is simply one to
prevent him from leaving the State. but
unless he furnishes S.. 600 bonds he must
remain in jail until released by the Chan
cellor.
PESHALL'S SIDE OF THE CASE.
Lawyer Peshall looked happy and pleas
ant today when saw him in the sitting
room Of the County Jail. Two friends
were with Him and his ever faithful bull
pup "Peter" lay at his feet as contented
as he did when at Taylor's Hotel.
This affair was brought about" he
said, "because l had announced that
was going to Washington to eat Christ
mas dinner with my sister ana shoot for
a couple of days in Virginia. Judge
Douglas. my lawyer, is preparing papers
as soon as the Chancellor receives
them he will no doubt order my discharge.
If the other side choose to harrass me. they
may delay the matter for two days, for
the law provides that they must have
that notice of my application:
II had intended to go to Washington,
bnt after this suit was begun concluded
not to go for I would have TO be back
next Monday. Why, as far back as last
Lewis, Mir. H. c. Potter and
my friend Mcneil that / would have
to 1--WE give thu up my ns srln; s1eot wnis
issued This writ ought to be repealed.
1t is blackmailing and bulldozing writ.
II had only wanted to go to New York
the writ could have been issued just the
same"
'Wny Go you reluSe TO give Jne 50, UOU
bonds required?"
Because l want the Chancellor to
dismiss me- l believe he will when
possessed OF the facts. When l am re-
leased I'll show Read that l am nor the
man to be bull dozed. do not owe Read
$40 OOO0 and l am not able to say how
much l am indebted to him. / can tell
nothing about it until a settlement
is made. Our transactions have been
very large and have extended over years.
Thousands and thousands OF dollars have
passed between us as you may see by
them"
Here the lawyer took n halt dozen paid
notes on the Chemical Bank, one calling
for S5, 900 and the others ranging from
s.. 600 to $12.0 900.
"How do you account for Mr. Reads
actonr
"Pm surprised. l can't understand it.
1t looks to me like the freak of a crazy
man.
mo, shall not leave here until the
Chancellor discharges me. shall not
give bail, although Pye had plenty of
tffers. Judge Douglas may apply to tn q
Chancellor today"
Merv Armstrong For Engrossing Clerk.
Mervin Armstrong, Jr., is slated
for the office of epgrossing clerk