The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-08-09
SHAMEFUL OUTRAGE
oWindler Roper Causes the
Arrest Of One of his
Victims on a Fake
Charge.
HELD HIMSELF FOR RoGUERY
90 "a
The Mutual Building SYndicate's
scandalous Operations Again
Ventilated.

An interested group of people sat in JUS
tice Potts court room yesterday afternoon
to hear the examination of Osmer w. Roper,
secretary, treasurer and general manager,
and every other office besides, of the notori-
Gus swindling Mutual Land and Building
Syndicate of this city, on a charge OF OBJ
tanning money under false pretenses.
Ex-Judge Roderick B. Seymour. a trustee
through his misfortune-of the promising
syndicate, was present to defend Roper, and
Counsellor Norman L. Rowe was therefor
the State to prosecute him. ABesides these
there was Lawyer Van Wrinkle, who, has
won case after case against the syaaIcate
for ~defrauding poor, ignorant people of their
money, and a representative OF q mercan-
tile agency which has been pestered forstwo
years with complaints against it from every
quarter of the United States.
When justice Potts called the case Mr..
Seymour proceeded to move the prisoners
discharge because of the allegations in the
complaint. which he, argued were not specific
enough and not sufficient to hold Roper.
Counselor Rowe met the argument by show
ing that the complaint complied with the
statute and he was supported by the ruling
of the Court.
John ] Renshaw, the complainant was
then called to the stand. He said he was an
insurance agent at Plymouth, Pa On April
, last, he said, he called at the S~yndicate's
offices on Montgomery street and saw Raper
who promised him a loan OF $1,000 within
thirty days. Raper told him that the syndi.
cate had $40, 600 to loan out, and if he paid
SSS, six months dues and expenses he could
nave the money right away.
ssHe told me" complainant said, that his
syndicate held property in Dennlson Town
ship, Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and he,
asked me if | could sell it. The syndicate
had a mortgage on it he said, and was
oblige ed to foreclose on it"
Renshaw then told how he paid Roper the
money asked, and when the thirty days ex-
pired he demanded the 81, 00n; but neither
got that nor the money he had paid. Roper
replied, he said, that the syndicate had not
$40, 900.
NO FOUND.
"Ddd you" asked Mr.. Rowe, "loek into
Roper's statements about the property, he
declared the syndicate held in Pennsylva-
MAJ"
..Yes. sir" was the answer 81 paid a
lawyer to search forit, and couldn't find any
record of it" t.
Renshaw said further that Roper told him
that the syndicate had mortgages on several
large DullulugS IL OtIoot SlpJ .e
Everybody in the room smiled at this and
Roper shook his head, looked deeply shocked
and wriggled in his seat as If 1t were red
hot.
Mr.. Seymour began his cross-examination
by asking Renshaw if he attended a meeting
Of the Board of Trustees of the Syndicate.
Complainant said he had and remarked to
Mr.. Seymour, Il saw you there too"
sMr, Skinner of Hoboken, another victim
was also there added Renshaw, darling an
angry glance at Roper.
Mr.. Seymour asked where the certificate
of membership in the syndicate was and
Renshaw replied that the District Attorney
of Plymouth held it. Changing his ground,
Mr.. Seymour tried to make the witness
admit that he knew that no agent had any
authority to grant loans at a certain date,
but the trustees alone had the power.
81 only know what Roper told me-" was
"We are not trying the syndicate" put in
Mr.. Rowe, "we are trying that man ROPER
and if he had no power to make snch a
promise he is in a worse box then before"
This facer disconnected Roper5s counsei
who argued with considerable skill that the
Trustees particularly enjoined any agent
making promises that q loan would be made
at a certain date.
SOLD HIS OWN HOME.
Renshaw, in reply to another question.
Sdl1 DlJUCIlt, L llO0O OAAA ~ SASAA 80
the strength of what Roper said to me and
in order that ! might keep my promise to
| them when that fellow there (poiDing scorn-
fully at Roper tricked me. l sold my home
for $4,000. [ let it 60"
Mr.. Seymour produced a bundle of let
tiers written by Renshaw to the syndicate,
| but they were not read and both Court and
| counsel for the prosecution objected to the
| waste of tune.
At length both sides rested, but not be
| fore Mr.. Seymour wished to postpone the
hearing until the papers in the Plymouth
| District Attorneys Office had been produced
to s~ubstantiate the complainant's case.
Judge Potts, however, held that Nj.
| Rowe had made out q prima facie case, and
| it had been clearly proven that the verbal
| statement made by the defendant Roper
| had been made with intent to defraud. Il
| will hold him in $500 for the Grand jury
| the Judge concluded.
A ROSS OUTRAGE.
No sooner had Renshaw stepped from the
witness chair to geto the depot to catch G
| train home when Detective Mentally stepped
up to him and showed a warrant for his ar
| rest on "a charge fpf perjury, madein the
| complaint against Roper. Rensnaw was
| taken before Justice Weed,who issued THE
war; ant, and baile& out by Chief Murphy
This scheme Of Roper to frlghten isenslaw
and detain him In Jersey City had. been con
cocted before the nearing 'l@3
| Jusha Weed CAME into the Court room
F, before Judge ttSropeneds the case, ath i
was well understood by outlookerst that some
thing was being patched because Mr. Sey
mour and his client, Roper, held mysteriou'
| condolences and from time to time looked al
the door. When Detective McNally CAME il
with the warrant sticking out of his Goa
pocket, they exchanged glances and Roper
looked maliciously at Renshaw.
Roper gave bail later on and he left will
Mr.. Seymour, while Renshaw took the GLE
p. NJ. train for Philadelphia.
The action of Chief Murphy, acting a
bondsman for Renshaw, caused no end o.
| comment, as this is the first time the Chic
did SO. The explanation is simple. He wa
mad clear through when he saw Roper's