The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-22
A HIGH-TONEO FORGER.
Eraslus Wiman, Ex-Plutocrat, Is
Behind the Bars at the
Tombs.
Charged With Forgery, Embsz
Element. Betrayal OF Trust
and Other Things
swindled the Dua Agency Out OF = BII
Tortune-His Conviction Seems
VERY Certain.

NEw YoRK Feb. 2i.-News that Eraatus
Miman had been arrested on q serious
charge fell like thundsrbolt on the ears
of multitude Of people who heard the
story tonight. and no one was more sur
prised than Wiman himself. Since sever
ng his connection with ths Il. q. Dun
agency. Wiman has occupied a pleasantly
furnished Office in the Field building. on
broadway. He Was engaged at his desk
this afternoon when Detective sergsants
Reilly and Won Gsriohten walked In. They
had boneh warrant for his arrest already
prepared when the grand jury. an hour
earlier. bad found two indictments against
the eI-king of Staten island for forgery.
Detective Reilly approached WimAn's
desk and said, "You are under arrest"
Wiman scarcely even glanced up. But be
turned very pale. and motioned the dstsc-
tives NOT TO alarm the clerks. This was
about three o'clock. Wiman was asked 20
accompany the detectives 90 the district
attorneys Office. He put on his
coat without a word and went with them.
No sooner were they beyond the ears Of the
clerks than Wimsn an1iOusly inquired the
specifications against him and the nature
Of punishment attached TO each.
/ Obh WIS " hhlo HuDllet hhlQ
Wimau. whist is the penalty for for
esry?"
He was put in a cell in one Of the regular
sections Of the prison and later positively
refused 20 see Newspaper men. Gen.
Tracy. his counsel. called at the Tombs
about six O'Clock ana was in consultation
with his client nearly an hour. Later in
the evening Gen. Tracy. when seen at his
residence. said: II haven't much 20 say
about WimAn's arrest. do not even
know definitely the complaint against him.
and have decided NOT to begin inVeitiga-
tiona until tomorrow" When asked
about the possibility of Wiman's securing
bail, Tracy replied: He will have to stay
in the Toombs until Friday. Tomorrow is
holiday and don't think We can GET
bail until the next day. We will have II
Friday, though. ana WimAn will be re-
leased. That is all"
One Of the charges against WinGn is
forgery OF the endorsement OF L. W. Bull
linaer 10 a check fer $1,000. drawn 10 Bul-
linRer's order By Il. q. Dun & Co. This
other charge is forging the sndorssment OF
Ogden Brewer TO q check, also dawn By
Il. g. Dun a Co., for $3.50. The checks
we're forged Jan. 20 and Feb. g. 1893.
The brat intimation OF any charges
against Wimsn was In the form Of letter
received at the district attorneys Office on
the 1fth inst. This letter is said to have
come from Dun's attorney supposed 10 be
Ex- District Attorney Delaney Nieoll. The
witnesses who went before the grand jury
to-day were b. ID. Douglass. +. W. Bullin-
ger. Ogden Brewer and the cashier for r.
q. Dun Co. The counts in she indiot-
ment relate TO forgery and utterinR of
forged checks drawn on the Second Ma
tonal bank, when Miman had no account
The offenss is punishable with not more
than ten years for each indictment.
The action of District Attorney Fellows
In bringing the matter before the grand
Jury was prompted by letter addressed 20
Col. Fellows and supposed TO have been
written BY EI-Distriot AttOrneV Delaney
kicoll. The letter states that Wiman was
connected with II. q. Dun Co. duriu 2 the
| Ieriod covering the acts complained of.
aud for manv years prior had business reia-
tons with Dun. but was not partner ia
the usual sense. The letter says; And
yea by various acts of embezzlement,
through misrepresentation, ooncealments,
breaches OF agreement misuse Of powers
conhded to him, and gross usufpation of
powers with which he was not trusted. he
succeeded, from 1889 mp to February. 1885,
ia stealing from Dun the enormous sum Of
$229 0l8. 80"
The letter then details the cases selected
for prosecution: In FobTuGET. 1898. II. q.
Dun Il Co. owed upwards Of $4,000 to L.
". BullinRer for material purchased; Feb.
6. 1893, Wiman, being in urgent straits for
money, directed Dun's cashier to make out
a check TO BullinGeI's order, and instead OF
transmitting IL 20 him IN settlement OF ac-
count, deliberately forged BullingeT's name
on the back of tho check and deposited 10
TO his own credit
The second o'ss cited occurred Jan. 20.
1893. Dun a Co. owed the Campbell Print
ing Press and Manufacturing company
50 $50 tor printing iesaes. Wiman pro-
cured from Dun's cashier a chsck TO the
| order OF Ogden Brewer teaSurer of the
/ Campbell company. on the prstext that be
desire TO pay the account 1hsreupon he
went 10 the Campbell company aud, telling
them Dun & Co. we're short Of funds. asked
IL they would like notes for ths account in
stesd Of cash. On Brewers acquiescenoe
Wiman made two notes in his own name
| cove ing the amount and delivered them to
BfeWsr. lie then fo-ged the name of Og-
den B ever on the back OF the cheek and
appropriated 10 to his own use. These acts
vtre concealed from Dun aud his assoei-
ates but on discovering them theY paid
the Campbell company the amount Of Their
account. as they did Bullinger.
| On learning that hla crimes we're de-
toctod. MimHn offered 20 transfer to Dun
l certain Toal estate on staten Island Of
doubtful value. but Dun, learning that
WimHn was insolvent, tefused 20 accept OF
receive any preferences over other creditors.
| Miman theTeuVOn made formal sssiRn-
nlent bot his assets amounted TO almost
nothing. Dun dii not Immediately submit
troofa of Mlman's crimes 10 the nuthori-
tics. being moved by sympathy for the lat
trr's family and by piteous appeals for
| mercy which Miman himHslf made 60 him.
Moreover. Dan bad then No appreciation OF
the extent OF Wiman's smLezx iomen. or
the lsHgth of time he had abused the trust
ferosed In him. A vast smount of labor
Was reQa red TO ascertain all irregularities
and tue whole account was not made Up
untu recently Dan was led 90 believe 10
possible 20 realize some hing substantial
10 the general c editors Gus of Wiman's
[ Staten Island ints ests, bat in visw Of the
/ fraud practiccd ulou other ofeiitors. and
I from a sense OF bic obligation o. the msr-
Z camille world, he decided that his duty wns
20 exrose wiman aud tara him over 10 the
I autha ities.
/ Prosecuting tho Reds