St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-02-22
WIMAN IN The T0MbS
The Capitalist and Railroad
Magnate Under Arrest
DIV TWO CHARGES or FORGERY.
Accused Of Stealing Over TWO
Hundred Thousand
FROM THE FIRM OF R.G.DUR & &C.
Friends Of the Financier Say
1t Is Persecution.
FROM THE FIRM OF R.G.DVR & &C.
EUcH MYSTERY INVOLVED.

New YORK, Feb. 21-The news that
Erastus Wiman had been arrested on q
serious charge fell like thunderbOlt OH
the ears of the multitude who heard the
story tonight. and no one was more sur
prSed than Mr.. Wiman himself.
Since severing his connection with the
r. @. Dun agency Mr.. Wiman has occu-
pied a pleasantly furnished office in tine
Field building. at No. Broadway. He
was engaged at his desk this afternoon
when sDetective Sergeants Phil Reilly
and Won Gerichten walked in. They
had bench warrant for his arrest,
which was 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 Mr..
Wiman'S desk and said: You are
under arrest"
Wiman scarcely even glanced up
turned very pale. and mOtioned the de-
tectives not to alarm the clerks. This
was about 8 o'clock. Mr.. Wiman was
asked to accompany the detectives to
the district attorneys office. He put on
mis- coat without a word and went with
them.
No sooner were they beyond the ears
of the clerks than Mr.. Wiman anxiously
inquired the specifications against him,
and the nature Of the punishment at
tached to each.
Don't let this be made public" and
"What is the penalty for forgery?"
He was put in cell in one of the
regular sections of the prison. and later
positively refused to see newspaper
men. Gen. Tracy, his counsel, called
AT THE TOMBs
about O'Clock, and was in consultation
with his client for nearly an hour. Later
in the evening Gen. Tracy, when seen
at his residence, said: 81 have not much
to say about Mr.. Wiman's arrest. L do
not even know definitely the complaint
against him, and have decided not to
begin Investigations until tomorrow.
II want to see these charges that they
say are so numerous"
When asked about the possibility of
Mr.. Wiman's securing bail. Mr.. Tracy
replied: "He will have to stay in the
Tombs until Friday. Tomorrow is
holiday, and l don't think we can get
bail until the next day. We will have
it Friday though, and Mr.. Wiman will
be released. That is ALL"
One OF the charges against Wiman Is
for forgery Of an Endorsement of E. W.
Bullinger to check for $1,000, which
was drawn to Bullinger's order by R. q.
Dun IL Co. The other charge is for forg-
ing the Endorsement of Ogden Brewer
to Il check also drawn by r. &. Dun &
Co. tor $3.50. The checks we're forged
respectively on Jan. 20, 1893, and Feb.
6, 1898. Wiman was arrested by
detectives from the district at.
torney's Office. The warrants were
executed at Wiman's office. He
was perfectly cool and collected when
the detectives placed him under arrest,
and he at once proceeded with them to
the district attorneys Office. From
thence he was taken before Judge Mar.
tine in chamber general sessions. He
was accompanied by his soU-in-law,
Norman S. Walker. Wiman said that
Gen. B. f. Tracy was his counsel, and
that he had been in consultation with
him nearly all afternoon. He was not,
he said, prepared to give bail at once,
and in default he was taken to the
Tombs
The first intimation of any charges
against Wiman was IN the form of let
ter received at the district attorneys
Office on the 14th inst. This letter, as
given out, is said to have come from
Mr.. Dun'S attorney, who is supposed to
be eX-DiStrict Attorney Delaney Nicoll.
The witnesses who went before the
grand jury today were r. d. Douglass.
Z. W. Bullinger, Ogden Brewer and
the cashier of r. q. Dun 81 Co.
The counts IN the indictments relate
to forgery and the uttering of
FORGED CHICKS,
which were drawn on the Second Ma
tiOnal bank when Wiman had no ac-
count. The offense is punishable with
not more than ten years for each of the
indictments.
Following is copy Of the letter ad-
dressed to the district attorney which
sets forth the nature of the complaint
In detail:
New York, Feb. l5.-To Hon. J. P.
Fellows, District Attorney Dear
Sir: l beg to submit to you for Off
cial action this complaint of the firm
of r. q. Dun & Co., against Erastus
Wiman for the crime of forgery and ask
that you send the same TO the present
grand jury.
l have been at great pains to investi-
gate the charges for the purpose of
satisfying myself whether any success
ful explanation or defense of them
could be made, and L trust you will
agree with me that clearer cases more
easily proved by reputable witnesses
have rarely if ever been submitted to
the authorities.
The association known as the firm
OF X. q. Dun & Co., with which the de
fendant was connected during the
period covering the act complained of
was formed on Jan. ], 1889, but Winan
mas for many years prior to that date
had business relations with Mr.. Dun.
Wlman was not partner of Mr.. Dun
In the usual sense.
In the articles of association he had a
right, title or interest in the propertv
and good will of the business and profits
thereof. For while it was agreed that
he should receive annually sum eouaI
to certain percentage of the profits, it
was especially provided in the articles
referred to that such sum should be
PAID TO HIM ONLY
by Mr.. Dun as salary for faithful sery.
Ice rendered, and that the amount of
proht should only afford the basis OF de.
termlning the amount of his salary.
II was also provided in tue arttcies nj
the ASSOCIATION tsaI he should mot em.
ploy Inc aan1e of r. G. Dun 81 Co. for
r.J purpose except regular and proner
business of the said mercantile agency.
ana that he should not use said name in
making, signing. drawing or endorsing