The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-02-22

New York, Feb 21.-The news that
Erastus Wiman had been arrested on
a serious charge. fell like a thunder
bolt on the ears OF people who heard
the story tonight, and no one was more
surprised than Wiman himself.
Since severing his connection with
the r. G. Dun agency, Wiman has &C.
cupied pleasantly furnished office in
the Field building, No 1 Broadway.
He was engaged at his desk this af-
ternoon when Detective Sergeants
Phil Kelley and Won Grichten walked
in.
They had bench warrant for his
arrest, already prepared, when the
grand jury, an hour earlier, had found
two indictments against the ex-king of
Staten Island for forgery.
detective Reilly approached Wiman's
desk and said: you are under ar
rest Wiman scarcely even glanced
up. turned very pale and motioned
the detectives not to alarm the clerks.
This was about o'clock.
Wiman was asked to accompany the
detectives to the district attorneys Of
nee. He put on his coat without a
word and went with them
No sooner were they beyond the
ears of the clerks than Wiman anx-
lously inquired the specifications
against him, and the nature of the
punishment attached to each.
Don't let this be made public he
gery?"
He was put in cell in one of the
regular sections of the prison and later
positively refused to see newspaper
men.
General Tracy, his counsel. called ar
the Toombs about o'clock and was
in consultation with his client nearly
an hour Later in the evening General
Tracy, when seen at his residence,
said:
L haven't much to say about Wi
man arrest L don't even know, def
nltely, the complaint against him and
nave decided not TO begin inVestiga-
tons until tomorrow. l want to see
numerous
When asked about the possibility of
Wiman securing bail. Tracy replied
that he will have to stay in the Toombs
until Friday.
Tomorrow is a. holiday. and I don't
tnlnk we can get bail till the next
day. We will have it Friday though,
and it will be raised that is ALL
One of the charges against Wiman
is the forgery, of the endorsement of
y. w. Bullinger to a check for S., 900
drawn to Bullinger's order by r. G.
Dun & Co. The other charge is eorp-
ing the endorsement of ogden Brewer
to a check also drawn by r. G. Dun &
Co., for $3.50. The checks were forged
on January 20, and February 6, 1893.
Wiman was arrested by detectives
from the district attorneys Office. The
warrants We're executed at Wiman's
office. He was perfectly cool and col
lected when the detective placed him
under arrest, and he at once proceeded
with them to the district attorneys
Office and from thence was taken before
Judge Martin. in the chamber of gem
eral sessions. He was accompanied by
his son-in-law, Norman S. Walker.
Wiman said General 3. F. Tracy was
his counsel. He had been in consulta-
ton with him nearly all the afternoon.
He was not prepared to give bail at
once, and in default was taken to the
tOmbs
The first intimation of any charges
against Wiman was in the form of
letter received at the district attorneys
office on the 18th inst. This letter is
said to have come from Duns attorney,
supposed to be ex-District Attorney
De Lancy Nichols
The witnesses who went before the
grand jury today were r. D. Douglas.
E. W. Bullinger, Ogden Brewer, and
the cashier of r. G. Dun & Co.
The counts in the indictment relate
to forgery and uttering forged checks
drawn on the Second National bank
where Wiman had no account.
The offense is punishable with not
more than ten years for each indict-
ment.
The action Of District Attorney Eel
lows in bringing the matter before the
grand jury was prompted by a letter
addressed to Colonel Fellows and sup
posed to have been written by ex-
District Attorney De Lancy Nichols
The letter states that Wiman was con-
nected with r. G. Dun & Co. during
the period covering the acts complains
ed of, and for many years prior had
business relations with Dun; but was
not a partner in the usual sense. The
letter says: "And yet, by various acts
of embezzlement through misrepresen-
tation, concealments,b breaches of agree
Inent misuse Of powers confided to
him and grose usurpation Of the pow
eI5 with which he was not trusted, he
succeeded, from 1888 up to February,
1893, in stealing from Dun the enor-
nous sum of $229, 3d.
The letter then details the cases Sc
lected for prosecution. In February.
| 1893, r. G.. Dun & Co. owed upwards
of $4,000 to E. W. Bullinger for mater
ial purchased on the 9Th Of February,
1893, Wiman, being in urgent straits
for money, directed Dun'S cashier to
make out a check to BuIlinger's order
and instead of transmitting it to him
in the settlement Of the account, DELHI
erately forged Bullinger's name on the
back of the check and deposited it to
his own credit. 1 need hardly to say
! the acts of Wiman are wholly without
the knowledge of Dun or associates
and since then they have paid to Bull
Hnger the sum which Wiman. by
means of forgery, appropriated to his
own use"
The second case cited occurred on
liam. 20, 1893. Dun & CO. owed the
Campbell Printing Press and Manufac--
turing company $3.50 for printing
presses. Wiman procured from Dun's
cashier a check to the order of Ogden
Brewer, treasurer of the Campbell COM
pany, on the pretext that he desired
to pay the account. Thereup0n he
went to the Campbell company and
telling them that Dun & Co. were short
of funds, asked if they would like
notes for the account instead Of cash.
On Brewers acquiescence. Wiman made
two notes in his own name covering
1.-THE amount, and delivered them to
Brewer He then forged the name OF
iOgden Brewer on the back Of the
check and appropriated it to his own