The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-10-10
ROPER Is WORRIED
Prospect of State Prison Has
Robbed Him of His Con-
fident Air.
R. B. sEYMOUR'S SHARES
Mrs. Tyler Says Chief Murphy
Advised Her to Go and See
the Ex-Judge.

The trial of Oscar w. Roper, the man
ager, secretary and treasurer OF the
swindlng Mutual Land n Bulldihg
Syndicate. was resumed this morning In
the Court of General Sessions, with VIC
tim John J. Renshaw on the stand. Inc
sleek Roper, when brought over from
the County Jail, where he is detained
in default of bail, seemed worried ana
watched every move of Prosecutor VIM
field and witness Renshaw. He moved
about uneasily in his seat, and every
few moments leaned over and Whis-
pered into ex-Judge Roderick Seymours
ear. The air of confidence which char
acterized him during the progress OF
suits in the District Court has left him
now that a term of imprisonment is star
ing him in the face.
Renshaw, in his testimony this morn
ing, told how he had been swindled out
of $3.50, six months dues on a loan of
81, 600, which his wife had asked him
to Obtain for her. OF course he dio not
receive the loan, nor has the SIX monlns
dues been returned to him. he sald ne
did not receive a certificate of member
ship until after he received an appoint
ment as agent With his certificate OF
membership he received a large pundle
of circulars, Upon each of which was
to own a Home" These circulars he
scattered broadcast in Lucerne county.
Pa He was to receive 20 per & IN the
syndicate. He also received a speclai
circular warning him not TO promise ms
patrons that they would receive InelI
loans on any certain date or in any nxed
period of time, as no agent mad the au-
ROPER POSTED HIM.
When Renshaw came to this city after
receiving the notice he saw Roper and
asked him why agents could not promise
that loans would be made on certain
dates. Roper answered:-
sI'm general manager. You can make
promises all light"
Renshaw then returned home and Sc
cured loans, the dues OF wnlcn aggre-
irons that they would receive tneir
money in six months. When asked IN
the cross-examination if he had ever az
tended a meeting of the directors OIL
the syndicate, Renshaw said
yes; / came to Jersey City to attend
what 1 believed was to be q direetors'
meeting. Roper posted me Derorenanu,
and told me if the directors asked me
If I had made any promises as TO time
for fulfilling the loans / was to answer,
No. One of the first persons L met Wa
me this very question. l looked at MT.
Roper. who shook his head, telling me
to say No. and Roper seemed content
Renshaw also said that the Is per cent;
commission which he retained was palo
back to the syndicate:
Mrs. TYLER of No. 254 Fourth street,
this city, testified that ex-Judge Sey-
mour showed her a deed of property IN
Lucerne county which she regarded as
a mortgage. AS she a money 10 II,
advised her to see Mr.. Seymour, Win
whom she made an agreement 70 au-
vance 81, 500. Instead of a mortgage Juoge
Seymour persuaded her to lake a oeeu.
She said She believed the ex-Judge was
a member of the concern, because ne
said 'swe' whenever he mentioned the
syndicate.
Much amusement was f~urnlshed the
crowd in the benches when hKs
Gilbert was placed on the stang. Gilpert
had with him all the books of the con-
Germ. and in the examination prosecutor
Winfield brought out the fact that eA-
Judge Seymour held, over l,A4 shares IN
the syndicate. These shares, GllperI eAs
planned, were cancelled at the emo OF
Zach year, because he supposed the dues
were not paid. He also said that ne
vmo because he was an officer OF the
syndicate, n because in no other way
could he receive remuneration for his
services. cuhor+
brought out the fact that President
Reuben Smith, Vice-President n.
Baker, Secretary and Manager %. w.
Roper, ex-Judge Roderick B., Seymour
and J. B. Collins, as soon as. they neard
Of the Indictment of Roper by the Grand
Jury, hurriedly bought ore share each
of the syndicate stock, so that when the
books were displayed in court they would
appear as member of the syndicate.
MONTHLY DUES.
The monthly dues on eaeh snare
amounted to % cents. Ex-Judge .Sey-
mour paid ten months dues; President
Gmith and Vice-President Baker six
months each, and J. B. Collins and Q. w:
Roper s1.3S each, thus making the capital
stock of the company 1872. When the
Prosecutor asked him if these gentle.
men on May ] owned other shares OF
stock, he replied, mo"
Didn't you know that just previous to
this time Roper had been before the
Grand Jury with books" asked Prose-
cutor Winfield.
At think he had replied Gilbert.
Gilbert then testified that for the first
year Roper received q salary of S~l,266.4f,
and that he believed of this amount
si.22s.i3 was paid in shares. He did not
know whether the rules of the syndicate
royided for a salary for Roper. Coun-
seIlor Klink, who has won numerous
cases against the syndicate in the Dis
trict. Court, yesterday caused an execu-
ton to be issued and levy made out OF
the District Court on behalf of Eliza
beth Collins of Highland, this State, on
a judgment she obtained against the
swindling syndicate for $120. Constable
John Washer seized all the Office furni-
ture, including the safe, at the offices on
Montgomery street.
THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES.