The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-11
AvICTlM OF MONEY SHARKS.
MRS. vAN sLOoTEN TELLS NOW MONEr
WAS FORCED IRON HER.
shs borrowed Money or "R. stivernan'
without Her HusbaRd's knowledge, sad
She Makes AMdavit that y Knowledge
nj Thla n NV..a a n2.a

she borrowed Moa~y or "R. s,iv~rraan"
without Her HusbaRds knowledge, aHd
she Makes Amdavit that = Knowledge
Of This Fact Was Used TO Extort Notes.
When THE Sun exposed last spring tho
dongs OF tho loan sharks in New York and
Brooklyn. tho Hilverman family. with their dif-
ferent concerns In both cities under the names
OF loan associations, came in for the largest
snare OF attention In consequence OF THE
SUNS attacks several OF their concerns went
out OF business for the time being at least.
They still. however. retained many victims in
their clutches who paid up tho usurious in
tcrcst charged on tho loans rather than risk
the publicity with which they we're threatened.
One OF the most remarkable instances Of OK
tortion OF which any member Of tho Silverman
family has been guilty came to the attention
OF New York lawyer last week. and he has
now invoked the aid OF the courts to rescue
his client. Mrs. William Van Slooten. the
wife of mining engineer living at 81 Sidney
place. Brooklyn. began her dealings with the
Silvermans ut one OF their Brooklyn cstab-
lishments in November. 1880. She received
altogether less than 500 from the Silver
mans and has paid back IN principal and
interest. In her efforts to liuuidatc her obliSa.
tions $1.41O In actual cash. At the present
time a promissory notc Of $l,5OO Is held
against Ter by II lawyer OF this city to whom
Sivermnn assigned his claim. and which Mrs.
Van Slooten Is expected to pay before her cred
itors will release her from all obligations.
Judgment by default has even been obtained
against her on this note and the accompany.
ing mortgage. The whole case has become
public through the efforts Of Mrs. Van Sloo-
tens lawyer to open the default. Justice An
drews has granted IN order for the present
holder OF the note. who is julius Bcrliner. to
show cause why the default should not be re-
opened. and 1t will be argued before Justice
Barrett in Supreme Court. Chambers. OH Nom
day morning. The affidavit made by Mrs. Van
Slooten shows how she was mulcted by her
creditors. and how. in spite OF nll her efforts to
pay Oft her debts, she. became loaded down
with heavier and heavier obligations.
Some time in September last Mrs. Van Sloo-
ten RECEIVED paper while ~ tho Office OF Dn-
h VII M N.Y. MwGrr At l ,NassaH street;
lawsuit. Mr. Myers. who is Brrfncrs attor-
hSG in the was then the
however,. from whit Mr.. Myers told h:r that
the suit was ended. and she destroyed the ia;
through n friend that judgment had been Ell
ir5 ts1bn ns e sns t ssHte n tine pS sr
the note was obtained through conspiracy and
fraud and represents an Indebtedness OF only
about $780, which she had already more than
REORGANIZATION, Of the way she incurred the
obligation is that in the summer of 1890. while
need OF about $50. She undertook 10 raise
the money without her husbands knowledge.
ia a one Of, Of ihe silysrman Concerns in faiton
to- sS ia %hoss sn:
sro. made @ai: Nh: ya" sIosteS swears
time executed n note for 81 .4W, to SiivermHn.
Last spring tho sivermnn with whom Mrs.
take her furniture unless she paid the note.
Finally IN he said ne had friend who would tako
paid $50 /" Slverman. who Insisted
81 .5d0 il she wanted to snye her furniture.
She was frightened ut this threat. but espe;;
he would dsose her
ments to her husband She consented to Sill
yerman's proposition. and in the early part OF
D. g.. Oppcnheim's office. 10 Wall street.
Myers brought out new chattel mortgage for
would have year to pay il in She also signed nee,
which Judgment hus, since, been obtained.
WoY, .iI have V e Pay Si25 more ioF
to sign. Mrs Van sooten paid Ind in diSer ent
sums an aggregate Of $3.50 to Myers. she says.
after Ste signed the nOtt. some OF these pay.
ments were made To Myers personally and
some to Silvermun, who said no acted for
Myers.
In September last Mrs. Van Slo"ten got the
paper which she now believes to have been
the summons IN the suit l., on the promissory
this. aud he then told her that he would stop
proceedings II she would make another pay
ment. The last payment to Myers Mrs. Van
Slooten made about three weeks ago. Since
then MYERS has made several threats to send
a Sheriff to Mrs. Van SIooten's house. and
finally. on Doc 81. she became SO much fright
ened that she told her husband
He lost no time IN putting the case in the
hands OF tho New York lawyer who now has
charge OF the proceedings. Mrs. Van Slooten
says in concluding her affidavit:
Among other things which ] desire to in.
terpose by way Of defence is the charge that
Silverman and Myers have been in collision
and conspiracy with each other to obtain false
and illegal evidences Of Indebtedness from mo
the end that they might eXtort money from
Judgment entered In this action is nm act In aid
of their conspiracy. 1t has been my desire from
the beginning to pay all that ] Justly and
honestly owe these gentlemen or either OF
hem. irrespective Of any question Of usury: |
but IN to tho time when made the above |
to my husband. have been in such |
great distress over this matter that l did not |
know what to do. Everything which ! have
lone since my first transaction with Silver |
man. all the papers have signed. MI my pay
mentS and my repeated visits. were because |
was legally bound to pay the en- |
tire 81 300. and because was afra ID to make |