The herald., 1894-02-22
ERASTUS W|MAA IN JAIL
Charged With Uttering Many
Forgeries.
His Arrest Causes Q Great
Sensation,
He Is Accused of Stealing Mere
Than 100000.
X. @. Dun s. Co. Behind the Rsssseat.ons
The King OF Staten Island In the
Tombs-He Protests RIs
Innocence.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
New YORK, Feb. 2l.-Ths news that
Ersstus Wimsn had been arrested on 9
serious charge fell like thunderbolt on
the ears of the multitude of people who
heard the story tonight, and no one was
more surprised than Wimsn himself.
Since severing his connection with the
R. g. Dun agency, Wimsn has occupied
a pleasantly furnished Office at No.
Broadway. He was engaged at his desk
this afternoon when Detective Sergeanta
Phil Reilly and Won Gerichen walked
in. They had a warrant OF arrest al
ready prepared when the grand jury, an
hour earlier. had found an indictment
against the ex-king of Staten island fos
forgery.
Detective Reilly approached Wimsn's
desk and said: "You are under arrest"
Wiman scarcely even glanced up, turned
very pale and motioned the detectives
not to alarm his clerks. This was about
8 o'clock. Wiman was asked to accom-
pany the detectives TO the district attor-
ney's Office. He put on his coat With
out word. No sooner were they be-
! yond the ears of the clerks than Wiman
anxiously inquired the specifications
against him aad the nature of the pun
ishment attached to each.
Don't let this be made public" ne
said; land what is the penalty for
forgery 2'
He was put in cell in ono of the reg
ular sections OF the prison and later
positively refused to see newspaper men
General Tracy, his counsel, called at tho
Tombs about o'clock and was in con-
sultation with him nearly an hour.
Later in the evening General Tracy.
when seen at his residence, said: II
haven't much to say about Wiman's ar
rest. | do not even know definitely the
complaint against him. and have de-
cided not to begin Investigations until
tomorrow. want to see these charges
that they say are go numerous"
When asked about the possibility OF
Wiman's securing bail. Tracy replied:
"He will have to stay in the Tombs until
Friday. Tomorrow is q holiday and /
do not think we can get bail until next
day. We will have it Friday. though,
and Wiman will be released. That 10
ALL"
CHARGES AGAINST wIMAN.
One of the charges against Wiman is
the forgery of the endorsement Of E. w.
Bullinger to check for $4,000, drawn to
Bullinger's order by R. G. Dun & Co.
The second charge is forging the endorse
ment OF Ogden Brewer to check. also
drawn by R. G. Dun & Co. for $5580.
The checks were forged January % and
February 6. 1898.
Wiman was arrested by detectives
from the district attorneys office. The
warrants were executed at Wiman'e
Office. He was perfectly cool and col
lected when the detectives placed him
under arrest end at once proceeded with
them to the district attorneys Office.
From thence he was taken before Judge
MARITIME in the chamber of general ses-
sions. He WAS accompanied by his SON.
in-law, Norman S. Walker. Wiman said
Gen. B. F. Tracy was his counsel, and
had been in consultation with him
nearly all the afternoon. He was not
prepared to give bail at once and in de-
fault was taken to the Tombs.
How IT CAME ABOUT.
The first intimation of any charges
against Wiman WAS in the form o. let
ter received at the district attorneys
Office on the l4th instant. This letter
ia said to have come from Dun's at
torney, supposed to be ex-District At
torney Delaney Nicholl. The Witnesses
who went before the grand jury today
were d. r. Douglass, E. W. Bulliuger.
Ogden Brewer and the cashier OF r. g.
Dun & Co. The counts in the indict-
ments relate to forgery and uttering
forged checks drawn on the Second Ma
tional bank where Wiman had no sc-
count The offense is punishable with
4
for each OF the indictments.
The action of District Attorney Fel-
lows in bringing the matter before the
grand Jury was prompted by q letter
addressed to Colonel Fellows, and sup
posed to have been written by ex-Dis-
trict Attorney Delaney Nicholl. The
letter states that Wimsn was connected
with K. Ct. Dun & Co. during the period
covering the acts complained of, and for
many wears prior had business relations
with Dun, but was not partner in the
usual sense. The letter says: "And
vet by various acts Of embezxlement,
through misrepresen tation, conceal
ments, breaches OF agreement, misuse OF
powers con6ded to him, and gross usurp-
alton OF powers with which he was not
trusted, he succeeded from 1883 up to
February, 1898, in stealing from Dun tho
enormous sum of 1929, ,0lS.s0."
TINE CASES FOR PROSECUTION.
The letter then details the cases se-
lected for prosecution. In February,
1893, r. g. Dun & Co. owed upwards OF
$4,000 to e. W. Bullinger for material
purchased.
The of February, 1903. Wiman
being in urgent straits for money. be
directed Dun's Cashier to make a check
to Bullinaer's order, and instead Of
transmitting it to him in settlement of
the account, deliberately forged Buliin-
GERS name on the back of the check
and deposited it to his credit.
81 need hardly say" says the letter,
"the acts OF Wiman were wholly with
out the knowledge OF Dun or his associ-
ates. and since then they have paid to