The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-10-18
YEARS FOR ROPER
Judge Hudspeth Infllets the
Full Penalty Of
the Law.

Judge Hudspeth, In the Court of Com
mon Pleas this afternoon, MADE a de-
cision in three appeal cases from the
judgments rendered against General
Manager, Secretary and Treasurer Os-
man w. Roper. of the swindling Mutual
Land and Building Syndicate in the Dis
trict Courts. William Law recovered
Judgment in the District Court recently
for $64.S0. Lawyer John DENIM, coun-
sci for Law, also brought into the case
the judgments of Lester g.. Van Zile
for S77.2s, and Paul Schick for $9456.
Judge Hudspeth upheld the decision of
the lower courts. Prosecutor Winfield
then addressed the Court, and said
."Thc indictments against the trustees
of the syndicate have all been certior-
aried, and there's no telling when we
will get them back. 1t may be a year.
/ nave heard Roper say that the bust
ness Of the concern would be, con-
tinued, and I think it would be a good
idea if the post-office authorities were
notified to stop all mail matter directed
to the syndicate"
STILL BEING SWINDLED.
'eThe people are still sending money
to the concern, and 1 think it woul
Dc d CHdIlly W LOlu II lSLlGlS dAld IA
them to the Dead Letter Office at Wash
ir.gton SO that they could be returned
to the sendeIs. l can put my fingers on
at least twenty people who have come
to me since the conviction complaining
that they had been swindled."
Judge Hudspeth conceded with the
Prosecutor, ard instructed him to notify
the post-office authorities at once that
the Court wanted all the letters returned
to the Dead Letter Office. Judge Huds-
peth then put in a good word for Roder-
lex B. Seymour, the counsel of the
swindling concern. He said
Il think it only fair to say hat so
far as the proof in the case
is concerned, in view of the
criticism that has been excited in
the matter, no evidence shows that
Judge Seymour was a trustee or was in
anywise connected with any criminal
practices in relation to the business of
that so called Building and Loan As
ISOLATION. What stock Judge Seymour
held, he honestly paid for, and occupied
the position of counsel, that is in the
civil cases he tried"
Counsellor DENIM, who was present,
said:-"So far as the civil cases are con-
cerned, I never attacked Judge Seymour
personally"
Roper was brought into court for SEN
tence at half past one o'clock, together
with a number of criminals. When a
reporter of THE Jersey City News ap-
preached him he scowled at the men
ton of 1.-The News" The scowl was not
without reason for it was THE News
that turned its Search light upon the
s~windling concern and first exposed it.
Have you any statement to maker"
asked the reporter.
ROPER'S COMPLAINT.
"All 1 ask" replied he, SIS that you
compare the testimony given in this
court with the testimony given in JUS
tice Potts Court.I was convicted upon
perjured testimony
Judge Hudspeth, in sentencing Roper.
said he had taken advantage of a popu-
lar institution like the Building and
Loan Association to further his scheme
10 swindle the people. The Court had
no alienation but to impose the extreme
penalty of the law and that was three
years Imprisonment at hard labor in
the State Prison.