The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-01
TRAPPED IN A BIG SWINDtE.
olUsE OF THE MYSTERIOUS ARRESTS
IN NEWARK RETEhLED

Hi- wife and The. Give Hts Notes for
$1,000 20 Thew-They Were 20 Float
the Notes, and re Was Then 60 Fsn II
BUSINESS and Receive $4,000 for It
The arrest OF three mysterious prisoners
booked as Crosby. Mendel. and Williams, in
Newark on Tuesday evening. reveals one OF
the greatest svindling schemes ever heard OF
in that city. and embracing In It's intentions
many other cities. The police maintained the
most unnecessary secrecy about the case until
last night. when the truth was told By the men
who worked up the trap to catch the swlndlers.
two OF whom are residents OF this city They
are H. L. Jepson. the note agent OF X @. Dun
& Co.. and A. C. Courier. both residents Of
Newark. The names OF the prisoners are
Albert L Miller Of Newark. John +. Hall. a
tobacco dealer Of 227 Pearl street. this city.
and Joseph A. Barth. who claims the same adj
dress The prisoners all look like well-to do
business men.
Superintendent Brown told the story yester-
day to Judge Kirkpatrick and Prosecutor
Crane. and left the matter Of handling the case
in tho hands Of the latter. The men showed
little disturbance over their arrest and seemed
to think they would get out Of their scrape
easily. They were not brought out for exam
ination Yesterday. but their story was told by
Messrs. Jepson and Courier.
Mr.. Jepson said that on Jan % q well-known
manufacturer. whose name he would not d.
vulEe. called upon him and told him that
broker had been at his factory with new
scheme which would bear Investigating. lie
told Mr.. Jepson that this broker asked him
first II he would not like to borrow
some money at six per cent. without
security. and when he replied that
he would lk e to get $4,000 on such terms.
the fellow talked q while on other matters
and than prppoaa1 q piya him 5000 OO0 for
s25o.0o0 In the manufacturers notes. He
became alarmed at the proposition and re-
fused to have anything moro to do with the
broker. His clerk and bookkeeper were
spoken to the same day by the broker. who
offered to make It an object to them II they
would give him the names OF some people who
would be likely to enter into his scheme. They
refused. and the clerk ascertained that the
broker Was W. J. Hickman. who has offices in
the Liverpool London and Globe building at
800 Broad street. Newark. Tho clerk was told
to see Hickman again and learn all he could
about him. All he learned was that Hickman
was representing q man named Miller. OF
whom he could get no information.
On Thursday OF last week Mr. Jepsou met
A. G. Courier who is q heavy dealer in oils
chemicals. and manufacturers' supplies at
Market and Beaver streets Newark. He had
been looking for a shrewd man to entrap tho
suspected BWlnQleTS. anu cOnCluucu tnhI MI.
Courier was Just the one for purpose. Mr.
Courier said he intended to extend his BUSH
ness In a new direction and that. II the scheme
was legitimate. he would borrow $4,000 or
$4,000 at @ per cent. and that, II there was
any rascality in the matter he would fetch 1t
to q head.
Mr.. Courier wrote to W. J. Hickman that day.
and on Friday Hickman called at Courter's
store; de had been drinking: and would aP,
enough to convince him that there was q big
swindling scheme atoot. Hickman told him
staple goods In this and, other big cities. sell
fully. and Courier pretended to, Be willing 70
Hickman pIro@is sd to send one Of Ii. PEtnsi.
pals 70 him and on SATURDAY, Aes M h,, Miller
had sent him. He biuntIy proposed that cOur:
ter should give him his notes for $500 600. and
eass he ns would sSs s5
900. Before the notes matured Courier was to
fail and retire from business
the scheme and told Miller to call again. Cour-
ter then called upon Jepsop and untolded the
ter to 90 on with It and 'ontrap the whole gang.
He advised him TO insist upon seeing Millsr's
@ naE was, arranged Tor Monday but was
Mr.. J Jspson had mssnwhIie reported The mat:
ter to r. G. Dun 4 Co. aud was told TO proceed
perinte ndent Brown and Chief Hopper OF the
Newark police on Monday and told Chief Hop
PEI Mr sn SoUrsf told his story to the reporters
after Mr. Jepson was through Il was chiefly
Of the %a Saa S
dialeeas between Hickman and himself md
f:P9s:snsed Snssli q the ss.nt ?, n sSs
Country tSn 'a and the West Indies the paper per
q any business men with good rating In
made out for $1,000, each payable three
months after date, They were 10 be made TO
that N tRsre would be four in the deal and that
they would each have 80 PEI he cent SI shs ihcs
soon as the, notes could be realized upon.
which would not be later than two weeks
q roth. for a9s :so f;S e To
STaE nc % sss aSs
ness to hand ovsr, $40 900 to an agent but that
ssrssS to 6rins in Hail and Bsrth. They tsis;
phoned to his store on MMSndsy and yeIs tod
went 10 the store and hid n The cellar to avail.
The The T mem ind H By Mr.. cour ter 'A
They sat on barrels IN the cold cellar for two
began tn fSaE faa bs
when the front door opened and Miller entered
HnI nl and Joseph A. Barthi They %srs ali We'll.
dressed. Dright-looking fellows; They talked
c 6GRss 1 T FEY Them D dosn
to business Then they assured him
that they all knew what they came for, and
900 worth OF notes for $4,000. He asked
about the security he was TO have. They said
that there would be no securities aud that Ii
would be purely a confidential Transaction IN
which one must have faith In the 9th or Bsrth
carefully. and went on to Instruct Courter
about how the notes should be made and
back. make them for small and varying
amounts. and to make over his property
Of the first note which he was to default
ia paying. Barth said that he could dispose OF
$50 600 worth Of the notss in Maiden lane for
diamonds. and that in case the whole 5000
600 did not aoAt quickly 1t might be necessary
for Courier to pay a couple OF the first notes
10 make his credit good for the rest Barth
said that he had a store at Springfield. Ill. 70
III l. D. dahl in Ia ghagT