New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-29
COMPOSING TO PERJURY.
REMARKABLE CHANGE OF \ WITNESS.
AFTER MAKING GRAVE CHARGES AGAINST HIS

| AFTi r MAKING GRAVE CHARGES AINN>I hIS
EMPLOYER. HE SWEAR: THEY WERE FALSE.
| Fonr Indictments charging Morris Splcgcl, liquor
merchant at No. lOl BroadSt., with presenting ials;
claims 10 Insurance companies were found on Friday
| chiefly on the testimony Of Arthur BaiS, MS DOCK
| keeper Yesterday Dlals made AFFIDAVIT declaring
that his statements tissue OF lies and bad been
made on account Of the threats OF Assistant District
Attorney Francis l.. Wcman. TIE bookhecpcr said
that he suffering from fright and absent minded
ness" when no told his story TO Mr. Welman. Snpcr
n,endcnt ByrncS. Chief Inspector steers and Others AT
Police Headquarters and that he remained under this
spell long enough 60 10 the General sessions Build
Ing and repeat his declarations 10 District Attorney
| Nicoll and nga!n to the Grnd Jury.
sulcgrl under the firm ~ H. Blum. IRIS Sons,
carrie, on n wholesale liquor business. on December
rs there q fic in his place. lie alleged that
| the damage Amounted to morr than $4,000, his
| Insurance. The companies LAY That $1,000 would
the Oss. nl;ls said OF Friday that. at his en-
ploycrs order he had altered the books by 100000
10 sustain the claim
Yesterday morning John d. Townscnd. attorney for
spegcl visited the District Attorneys office. bringing
the AFFIDAVIT Of Blals. The lawyer and Mr.. Well
mnu had little passage at arms, which Will no doubt
b. renewed IN court. The affidavit Rad follow:
Ny name Is Arthur Blais, and ! 1--we at No. 30
Naricl St. Jersey city AIN bOoLhccper and cashier
Tor A. Blum. jr.'s sons. Nos lOl aud 1903 Broad ST.,
Of which Morris splczc Is sole proprietor. ON May
- / arrested on my arrival Ia this city by De
tcciiye von Gcrccn and Police Headquarters
| 10 make sworn statement against my employer.
taken 10 the private ONCE Of INSPECTOR steers,
and IN the presence Of Assistant District Attorney Well
man and several Others wns informed that II hdi aly
regard for my family and desired 70 be pared the
disgrace Of being put IN jail ana indicted Tor forgery
and fraud should make full and plain confession OF
my Assistance In n" attempt VI NPeecl Ia deirud
variou, insurance companies By making n fraudulent
claim fpr the amount of damage cau'ci by inc hro
on the pr"mi>e, Mo-. l0I and l0J Broad 81 on De.
cembcr 10; irei They ated q me that hey had all
the facts that the books hal been forged AMI that they
knew had done IT, nnd that had been indicted al
foc me and signed the same Would not be arrested
and the various indictments against me wonld never
Jnl immediately on MIN different Indictments. and for
great number OF wears would keep me In prison.
Having never been arrested before, made the state
mcnts, signed them and sworc % them without know
fear and flight to ANYTHING demanded Of me-
r r'1 before TIE tie GrSnG jury and made the same
statement, bciorr that body, which ! today. after
cod and calm collection Of mind desire contradict
a. untrue. There 70 gerry committed. The
proof Of LOSE made by me- Wa correct Inventory OF
nv personal know ridge attempt made by Mr..
spicec dcfFnud the Insurance companies IN any
manner by giving instructions Ia mo 10 alter the
took or 10 anybody else employed by tho firm. 10
my know~dge During tn I'm" l was bookkc.l~r
i"okkccT,,r: al.1 -, custom House clerk, George
laudrc who has pnoycd To- be- dishonest me u,
fear and absent nind,ineS and TIE pcr,9n who frglt
ci't me mo nhnlnE m,m ".> r "T,,ic n,i
b" placed In jail under nine indictments and lie put
under $4,000 bonds.
Hlais sworc before the Grand Jury that Shcgcl had
ia his presence. instructed stern 10 change the books
Stern had chang,d the figures representing the profits
Of the year from ~ 900 To- S3f.ODO, ard those Of
tho value OF the stock from $4,000 to Sl4iO00. lie
and stern. he declared had made ncw book, in which
they gave a false detailed inventory OF the stock
spicgo Ind falsely dcc,rcd In the witnesses hearing
that the book had been I'm existence before tho fire.
Mr.. Welmnn indignant ut Blais's change OF base
lie said There durcss In the case whatever
Dlas offered to turn states evidence. Why. on
the way from Police Headquarters In the carriage
| asked him II the forgery had been ccvcry done lie
answered that the Job a clumsy one
District Attorney Nco contrdictcd the bookkeepcr
with equal positlvcncs,. saying: why. Bla, came
into NV Office and told me- the whole story lie
entirely calm aud collected. Then he went before tho
Grand Jury
chief Inspector steers said Tho boy must be
crazy There Is nothing In hi, story OF coercion.
VA, here ia my office When lilnls brought In and
+ heard him make hi, statement To the Assistant Dis
trict Attorney also the statement written down
"a, hc made it, No force was used and no threats
were made lie said what he had 10 say Voluntarily
Detective Won Gcrlchicn went 10 the stOr" with
Splcgrl On Friday night 10 get the books OF the lrm
They were not In the safe. An office boy said that In
the afternoon while >pcgcl aud BalS were away,
man, who said he came rom the District Attorney =
Office had taken the books. Mr.. Wclman saws he
has copies 81 the book, and can convict SpcSel In
Spite Of Blas's stlangc behavior.
A warrant for the arrest OF Bais has been Issued.