The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-04-13
A LIAR AND THIEF"
Treasurer Roper of the Mu.
tua1 Z. and B. Syndi-
cate Denounced.
COUNSELLOR DENNIN'S HARD WORDS
Ex-Judge ~Seymour's Effort to De-
fend His Client-Judge Puster
Reserves Decision.

hCSCl fCo DCClSlUnt
The ventilation OF the peculiar business
methods of the Mutual Land and Building
Syndicate of No. Al Montgomery street, be-
gun yesterday morning, was resumed in the
| afternoon before Judge Puster in the First
District Court.
Counselor Jno. A. DENIM for Louis Sic
benmann of Hasbrouck Heights, who charges
that the syndicate is a fraud and humbug,
began his cross-examination Of Treasurer,
Secretary and General ManagerO o. N. Roper
by digging into the personnel Of the syndi-
cate, a process which seemed to annoy ex-
Judge R. B. Seymour, who vigorously op
posed the course of examination and burst
out into a TRADE against irresponsible re-
porters who nave written lies about the syn
dictate composed of honorable men, and
turning to the reporters shouted sand they
will lave to answer for it,"
After this display Of Brutum fulmen, the
digging process was resumed, and finally
Mr.. DENIM extracted that these are the
Board of Directors of the Syndicate:-Rod
Baker, j. w. Collins and Newman Smith
the last named being president. He resides
in Irvington somewhere, added Mr.. Roper.
Resuming his attack, Mr.. DENIM asked
how many loans the syndicate had made in
this State. but the treasurer, secretary and
general manage couldn't say, he didn't
know.
He admitted that the syndicate had made
seven or eight loans, amounting in all to
about 81, 900 to people in the West.
"How many members have you gotg
| asked Mr.. DENIM.
About 500" was the reply.
s'Why don't some of these get loans?' pur-
| sued counsel.
Mr.. Roper became confused, turned red
and naively stammered, "Oh, some drop out
for lapse Of dues and others are advised by
their lawyers to stop paying" an admission
which he tried afterwards to qualify.
Judge Puster then took a hand to find out
what became of the monthly subscriptions
paid by the alleged 500 members, but be even
couldn't find out how much money was paid
in, because the treasurer, secretary and gen
eral manager did not know. 1t varied from
5000 to "a, 900 he said after a while.
Here again ex-Judge Seymour protested
that these matters were ~irrelevent, but the
| Court ruled that Counsellor DENIM was
within his right to show that the methods of
business employed by the syndicate ar
fraudulent.
TREASURER ROPER ON H RACK.
'Now, Mr.. Roper" continued Mr.. DENIM
shave you ever been convicted of crime il
| the State of Massachusetts,"
II object" roared Mr.. Seymour, and pro
tested that it was not competent.
"Oh! yes, it is" retorted Mr.. DENIM
srYou attacked the credibility of my client
and l am goingto show the Court that this
man." pointing to Roper, cant tell the
truth, and that he was convicted for fraud
Judge Puster was appealed to, and he
ruled that if Mr.. DENIM could follow up the
question with proof he could put the ques-
ton.
Mr.. DENIM said that the certificate of
Treasurer Roper's conviction would beforth-
| coming. 1t was now in the hands of Dun's
! Mercantile Agency.
Proceed, . said tine Judge.
"Have you been convicted of crime!r con-
tinued Mr.. DENIM, addressing Treasurer
Roper.
That worthy fdgetted in his chair, and at
length said:-"What do you mean by
crimeP'
Mr.. Seymour again kicked and fumed
about ''unprofessional conduct and sir.
relevancy" and insisted that Roper need
not answer the question if it incriminated
him. But Judge Puster insisted that he
must answer ''yes" or mo"
ADMITTED HIS CONVICTION.
Counsellor DENIM repeated the question
and Treasurer Roper was obliged to say, 81
was convicted of conspiracy, which is in
| Massachusetts a misdemeanor.n
"And you served three years in prison, .
added the relentless Mr.. DENIM.
II object" cried ex-Judge Seymour, AND
this time his objection was upheld.
Then Mr.. Seymour began his closing ad
dress for the syndicate. He said that it had
been given Importance because sssome gentle
men of the press had been worked upon
He analysed the evidence and claimed thai
the sydicate is a Building and Loan Associa
ton which has at no time defaulted in the
performance of it's contracts. He insisted
| that Treasurer Roper made no representa-
tions to Mr.. Siebenmann that a loan would
be granted to him within any stated time
On the contrary, he, Roper, by his words
and letters Enthusiastically pointed out that he
must await his turn in the usual way. Mr.
Seymour made a forcible argument and pre-
sented his side in his accustomed able way.
THE T-REAsURER's QUALIFICATIONS.
Counselor DENIM for the plaintiff Sieben.
mann sailed into the business transactions OF
the Syndicate in a manner that made Mr.
| Treasurer, Secretary and Grand Manager
Roper's eyes blaze with anger.
"Who ever HEARD said Mr.. DENIM, soi
the secretary and treasurer of a building ant
loan association scurrying about the country
trying to rope in people to subscribe to tn
association
1.-THE whole transaction hinges Upon thu
statements of Mr.. S~iebenmann, a hard work
ing honest man, and this Roper who is n,
other than a bunco steerer an "a convictet
thief
During the argument Counsellor Seymour
was walking about at the back of the court
but on hearing the complimentary terms APP
piled to his client, he wheeled around, an
walking rapidly to the bench vehemently OBJ
jected to f'such epithets." Judge Pustel
mildly remarked that counsel had, perhaps
gone beyond the usual limits, and he hopet
that a little moderation in language woult
be observed.
"It's true,v exclaimed the irrepressible Mr.
DENIM, with a broad grin, 81 mean what
say what / mean in terming that fellow
Roper a liar and a thief"
After launching this Parthian shaft he sa
down.
81 will decide this case on Tuesday morn
ing" said Judge Puster, in gathering up tn
papers and leaving the bench.