The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-27
ROBERTS IN A NEW YORK CELL.
The Young Savannah Sp equator in
q Bad Fix in the Metropolis.

! Marion, N. C., and duped all the citizens OF
that town who put their funds In his hands,
has at last come to grief. He is now occu-
pying cell in New York's central station
under a charge OF fraud. Ro berts and his
partner, Neil McCallum. were arrested
Wedn esday. The New York Herald Of
Thurs day gives the following account of the
affair:
william a Roberts and Neill MoCallum
were arrested by Central office detectives
yesterday, charged with fraud IN connec-
ton with a bogus banking firm il Wall
street. Complaints from many parts OF
the country relative to the operations OF
those men had been received at police head
quarters during the last six months. Chief
Inspector Steers assigned Detectives
Golden, Lyman and McCaffrey to make an
investigation.
Roberts and McCallum are the only
known members of the Finance Trading
Company, occupying q small room at No.
10 Wall street. 1t began operations early
last spring. The business card Of the con-
Germ announced that II was capitalized at
$4,000 aud that 1t dealt in commercial
paper. The words 'negotiators and traders
also appeared on the card. Roberts was
president OF the company, McCalIum, score
tary.
the Finance Trading Company had a
branch, through which, it is alleged, most
Of the questionable dealings were con-
Quoted.
1.-THE immediate cause of the arrests was
the following transaction Frederick
Sprietz bought $500 worth Of goods on Aug.
Is from Solomon Friedman of No. 522
Broadway, offering in payment note on
the Marion branch, which he had bought of
| the Euapoa Trading COmnanV
Friedman telegraphed to Marion, and
| the branch replied that the note would be
paid promptly. The note was sent on TO
Marion and has not been heard of since.
Friedman had Sprietz arrested in Astoria
last Friday evening. He was taken TO JEFF
ferson market police court and locked up in
default OF 81 500 bail. He had loft at No.
lao Elm street, this city. where he stored
the goods.
This arrest brought out the connection
OF Roberts and McCallum with the TRANSACT
ton, and they were arrested in their Wall
street Office at 10 o'clock a. m. yesterday
and taken to police headquarters. They
we're taken to Jefferson market police
court during the afternoon. charged with
passing bogus commercial paper, and re-
manded to police headquarters.
1T is not known how many people claim
DO have suffered through the Finance Trad
ing Company, though the police say they
have the names Of several victims and ex-
pect the exposure of the concern will
bring to light many Others.
"Among those the police mention are But
Ter Bros, dry goods, No. 800 Broadway.
This Arm, 10 is said, sold a bill of goods
amounting TO $l6S on April IL to Thomas
Need Of Marion, n. c., who sent on q draft
payable at the branch. Butler Bros. sent
on the draft for collection and 10 was re-
turned with instructions to present il at the
Office in Wall street, 1t is alleged that this
was done and the draft accepted but never
paid.
1.-THE Morristown Mills Company Of Nor
ristown, Tenn. complained to the police
about Roberts and MoCallum, but did not
mention the amount of their transaction.
Complaints were received also from T. Pat
rick Of Richmond, Va, the State National
Bank Of Knoxville, Tenn. and F. II. Dean
Of Richmond, Va.
'It was reported yesterday that Roberts
had obtained a high rating at both Brad
streets and Dun's commercial agencies.
The agencies deny this, though the Finance
Trading Company has asserted that it had
suoh rating. A small advertisement ap-
peared In the New York newspapers early
In the summer which began: Finance
Trading Company, No. 10 Wall street.
The officers names were given as above,
after which came a line referring finance
street and Dun.
"A Herald reporter found that neither
agency would give either of the men or
their company any rating. The agencies
knew little about Roberts, but MoCallum
was an acquaintance and they had nothing
complimentary to say OF him,
NELL McCallum Is we'll but not favor
ably known in the swamp His father
was leather merchant there, and on the
strength of his parents standing the son
got credit for his own enterprises In the
same line or business.
"The young man failed in 1876 and cred.
| itors we're not satisfied. He made a new
start and again went to the wall, after
having involved mary merchants In the
swamp in his operations. One or two
other failures followed, until it became i'm
| possible for him to do any more business In
| leather
81 have talked with several merchants In
tine swamp every one of whom says hE
has lost thousands of dollars through Nc
! Callum's dealings. The man was involved
in many lawsuits as result OF his failures
and always came out ahead.
There is belief among certain business
men in this city that MoCallum was the
moving spirit In the scheme to utter bogus
notes and establish fictitious commercial
houses, backed by fictitious credits obtained
from fictitious merchants.
"While this idea is not new, it IL doubtful
il 1t was ever carried to such lengths as by
the gang in question. One case that was
| brought to the attention Of the Herald
some months ago was that Of gypsy
carriage concern at No. % Warren street
kmwn as the Stafford Manufacturing
| Company
"The repository excited interest among
carriage and harness makers There we.
displayed a remarkable assortment of vehi-
oles aud harness, collected from all over the
country In the trade the concern wa
spoken of as the Gypsy as no one could
ever find the proprietor, q different person
claiming that distinction every day.
"Ths concern had claimed high credit
| rating, bought goods throughout the couu
| try on fictitious notes, and an attachmen
| was obtained In the interest Of western
| carriage manufacturer, but when the depu
ties levied on the stock all the fine carriage
had been removed and only cheap vehicle
remained.
"At Water and Dover streets is an ole
building until recently used as a storaS,
place for scrap iron. The agent of tht
| building is Henry Gilbert of No SIS Frank
fort street. He rented it to tenant, VIII,
sublet q portion of it 70 Neill McCallum
The latter afterward tried to rent the eutir
store from the agent, but Mr. Gilbert re.
fused. Then. it is said, McCallum had
duplicate set Of keys made and stored mer
chandise in the place at night.
when visited the building with Mr.