Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-11
RESIDENT AND VICE ARRESTED
or Violating the Postal Laws.
Thousands From Every State
OUTOF S2OO,OOOTO S35O,OOO
nd Given Nothing in Return---TwO Mss
inc Officers Believed to Have Gotten
Away With the MOney---AgentS
in Every State Selling
S2O,OOO,OOO Of Stock.

CHICAGO, August 1O.-Alfred Down
bq. President, and n. H. Tollman,
fice President OF the National Capital
Building and Loan Association OF
North America, were arrested to-day by
Postofice Inspector Stuart, charged
sith using the mails for fraudulent
5urposes. It is charged that the men
Fho have been conducting this associa-
hon have swindled thousands Of people
Rom every State in the Union, and
AIKEN in from 5000, 600 to sS5O,OOO, and
,iyen nothing in return. Their victims
kail from Maine to California, and are
numbered among the rich and poor
alike. There are still two men at lib
srty, they having disappeared several
eeeks ago. These two men that are
Missing are believed TO have got away
With most of the funds.
Inspector Stuart has been working on
the case four months. He found that
tbe concern was gigantic In its reach,
Ard had agents in every State In the
Dnion who were selling
THE 10000, 600 OF STOCK
fhe company was selling. The scheme
VAS advertised through agents who were
eent circulars and documents showing
ne association TO be gilt edged. AT the
fme Stuart took charge Of the case Z.
N. Mortimer, the General Manager and
secretary, vas apparently the response
hle man, and handled the cash received
IL large amounts every day. Captain
<tuart visited the cOmpany's Office fre-
onently disguised as letter carrier in
afEy tef RapF6g SsSSlGsd sSlGsdfeffa fa VAIN sRiSeiHS. iHor
his return, Capt. Stuart decided to Sc
cnre the other visible members of the
combinatiOn.
Inspector Stuart and District Attor-
Dey Milchrist went over
THE BOOKS OF TIE CONCERN
And found that seventeen legitimate
bans have been made in as many differ
ent States These, it would seem, were
made TO allure other investors, as in the
Nebraska case. No record of any other
lOans could be found, although the
books show that money has been re-
ceived from hundreds Of people from
the places where the single loan was
placed. A rough estimate Of the
amount of money received is S175, 600
in the year and half the association
bias been in existence. 1t is said that
Mortimer took almost $4,000 that
the association had in banks here, leav-
ing about $1,000 which Downing had
he'd up by injunction. Mortimer was
last heard OF July 10, at 7O4 Eighth
avenue, New York City. Inspector
Stuart said he was we'll satisfied that
both the President and Vice President
are not so innocent as they pretend.
They got badly bitten, both OF
them," said Inspector Stuart, "but they
we're In the deal, and knew all about
he swindling that was going on, but
they did not get much of the money"
Downing and TOllman were held In
So OeO bond each by Commissioner
Hoyne. Both had their lawyers on
hand, and Tollman was quickly bailed
Ont. Downing was unable TO secure
bondsmen, and spent the night in the
custody Of a deputy marshal.
For some reason the association did
not operate very extensively in Illinois,
Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
New York and the Southern States,
which were worked 70 some extent, but
she majority Of the victims live in States
,voct Of the MiSSisSiDDi.