Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-10-10


ceive him. would call in his two TRUSTEES
to get with him full particulars of the
robbery and a description of the men.
Then the banker would be sent away
with the assurance that I'VE know the
men and will have them, but at the
same time warning him TO keep the mat
ter secret in order better 10 enable
them to catch the villains.
If successful, the detectives were to
receive % per cent between them. Our
plan required James to ply an impor
tant part, and although no confederacy
could be fixed on him. yet he would
hardly escape questioning and very
considerable degree of suspicion, so
much so that it probably would put an
end TO any lingering remnants Of char
acter he had on hand or in stock. But
he was tired of America and determined
TO go to Paris with his share Of the
plumber. Our visits to James had always
been in his private office, and his clerks
had never seen either of US or Brea.
Our plan was TO make use of James
office in way that Will appear later.
As related, he was suspected by his pro-
fession, but the general public thought
him very great man. He had appear
ed as (volunteer) counsel in two or three
murder cases and had delivered power
ful addresses which had attracted con-
siderable notice in the papers.
One day, soon after our plan was
matured, Brea went to philadelphia,
and by a mixture of audaSty and finesse
procured from Jay Cooke himself (the
parent house of the New York firm of Jay
Cooke g. Co was i'll Philadelphia) let
ter of introduction to the manager of
the New York firm He wanted the let
ter ostensibly in order to consult the
manager about certain investments
which he, as executor of an estate, de-
sired to make for his wards.
As the transaction was one of consid-
erable magnitude there would be large
commissions paid, and with the grand
send off of a letter from Jay Cooke to
his subordinate in New York the specu-
lation opened well-so well that we at
once decided what we would do with
the money when we got it-a case in
point for the old proverb We had ascer-
tanned the name of q Newark manu-
facturer who had recently failed in bust
ness will call him Newman On the
morning after his return from Philadel
phia Brea presented himself at James
office, it being arranged that James
should be out, so Brea told the clerk
that his name was Newman; that lie
had lately failed in business and intend
ed to employ Mr.. James to put him
through the bankruptcy court. The clerk
told him to come again at ~ and he
would find Mr.. James in.
At IL he came. The clerk introduced
him. james kept the clerk conveniently
near that he could hear the converse
tion. Brea, as Newman, told James he
had used in his business S240, 600 be-
longing to his wife and her mother,
and that in scheduling his assets he
proposed to use enough to make those
amounts good, intending to conceal
the fact from his creditors. He de
termined to invest the amount in
bonds-so ran his story-and was going
to deposit the money in the bank that
very afternoon, at the same time produc-
ing his letter of introduction from Jay
Cooke, all Of this, Of course, being for
the eye and ear of the clerk, who might
be required as a witness of his employ
er's good faith.
Brea Newman also paid James in
presence of the clerk retaining fee of
$3.50, which was privately returned
James banked in Jersey City, and when
Newman said, Introduce me at your
bank, as l want a small credit handy"
James said, my bank is in Jersey
City"
The clerks brother was paying teller
at the Chemical bank, and, as was ex-
pected, he at once spoke up, saying,
"Let me introduce Mr.. Newman in the
Chemical bank. So down went New
man and the clerk, and in. ten minutes
our man had the Chemical bank check
book in his pocket and So, 900 to his
credit in the bank. The same afternoon
he presented his letter of introduction at
Jay Cooke & Co s and was cordially re-
ceived. He of course told totally diff
ferent story there In his case rela-
tive lately deceased had left him an es-
tate of great value. He WA, he said,
realizing on his real estate and buying
bonds as fast as his money came in, and
he wanted to invest million in various
railway bonds. AT present he had $240,-
900 ON hand, which he wanted to invest
in government bonds. He then left for
the time being, leaving a good impres-
sion, which his refined manner and ap-
pearance confirmed.
So far all was well-that is, all was
we'll from our point of view. The next
two or three days Brea paid several Wis
its to the Chemical bank getting small
checks for $500 and 81 900 certified, and
now had his account drawn down to ST.,
900. The day before he had called on
JAY Cooke & Co and told them he
would take $240, 900 in seven thirties,
Bearer" bonds, and that he would call
the next day and pay for them. AT the
same time he got them to give him
pro forma bill for them.
The eventful day had come, and
James, to get his head clerk out of the
way, sent him to the admiralty court
to take notes of the evidence in case
going on there.
At 10 o'clock Brea sent Il messenger
with note to tho bankers, requesting
them to send the bonds to Edwin James
office, and he would pay for them on de-
livery He could not come himself, as
he was in consultation with the execu
tors of the estate.
In the meantime check for the full
value of the bonds, $240, 900, had been
made ont. II was drawn on the Chem
ical bank and was, in fact, similar to
those always given between bankers ON
bond transactions.
Brea had drawn his own check for
E240, and had it i'll his hatband along
with the $240, 600 dummy check. The
plan is palpable enough. When the mes
senger brought the bonds, Brea, or New
man, was going to say "All right,
have the check here. Bring the bonds,
and we will go to the Chemical bank
and get them to certify my check.
Then when at the bank he would take
out both checks, letting the messenger
only get a glimpse of one, and that one
would be the small $240 one, which
Brea would pass in through the window
with request to have it certified. This
would be done, and when handed out of
course Brea was TO change it and hand
the messenger the big one Of home man
ufacture.
The night before the expected coup
we met James for final full dress re-
hearsal for the morrow, and after every
thing was settled adjourned TO the up