The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-09-25

SCHEME DIDN'T WORK
Queer Story of an Attempt to
Euchre an English Syn
dictate.
THE GENERALS LITTLE GAME
Creditors in Jersey City Anxious
to Know the Whereabouts Of
Colonel 0'Kell.

Through a complaint made by Mr..
w. G.. Farmer, a real estate agent resid-
ing at Roseville, to Counselor ]. Norris
Atkinson, of the Weldon Building, this
city, a curious story has come to light.
Mr.. Farmer seeks to recover $3.50 loaned
to Colonel w. j.. O'Kell, who claimed he
represented an English syndicate then
negotiating with a General Kebbe for
the purchase of a ranch for $500, 900.
There are others, it Is alleged, who would
like to see money loaned to Colonel
O'Kell returned, and among these are
ex-Mayor Orestes Cleveland and Colonel
Inman, of the Central Railroad Building,
New York. TIL late counsellor Samuel
D. Haynes, of Jersey City, also loaned
him $500.
Some months ago this Colonel O'Kell
met General Kebbe in Jersey City and
became much interested in the descrip-
ton of a ranch covering II, 00O.0 coo of acres
in Cameron and Mucous counties, in
Texas. The property belonged to a
wealthy widow, Mrs. Henrietta King,
who the General said was anxious to
dispose of it, and had given him, Cen
eral Kebbe, a power of attorney to sell
the ranch for SO, 5OO,0 900.
Colonel O'KeH at once communicated
with a London syndicate, which author
lied him, he said, to open negotiations
for the purchase of the ranch.
RICH IN EXCUSES.
Mr.. H. BABYLON, of No. 464 Wayne street,
Jersey City, the American accountant
for the syndicate; Counsellor Blaze, of
Brooklyn, the syndicate's legal adviser;
Colonel O'Kell ard General Kebbe met
one day in Mr.. B1aze's house in Macon
street, Brooklyn, to settle the purchase.
In the meantime the English syndicate
had deposited So, $780, 900 in an English
bank, charging the interest to Colonel
O'Kell.
After certain papers were signed by all
the parties Accountant BABYLON asked
General Kebbe for the power of attorney,
but the General had forgotten it. This
delayed the settlement of the purchase,
and another meeting was fixed. Again
General Kebbe had abundant excuses
for not bringing the instrument he
claimed he possessed.
The Generals. anxiety to have the pur-
chase money of 50 $500, 600 turned over to
other side. depositing the amount to the
credit of Mrs. King. aroused the suspi-
cions of Messrs; BABYLON and Blaze, and
the former said angrily to the General
in Mr.. Blaze's house,
81 do not believe you possess a power
of attorney from Mrs. King"
Only for the interference of the lawyer
there would AVE been a scene. Finally
the General promised to call on Mr..
Bayldon the next day in Jersey City and
deliver the power of attorney; but a
third time he presented excuses, and Mr..
Bayldon's suspicious being confirmed. he
cabled the syndicate in London the whole
matter, and they promptly washed their
hands of the ranch and General Kebbe.
KEBBE REPUDIATED.
Mr.. Bayldon then wrote to Mrs. King
He was a~stounded to hear from her in
reply that she didn't know General
Kebbe, and consequently had given no
power of attorney for the sale of her
1ands. In the meantime. the enterpris-
lantic steamer, and is now on his way
Colonel o'Keli. during their negotia-
tions, had been, It is charged, borrow
land, Inman and Haynes, to pay the
expenses of cablegrams and other in
cidentalS.
stThe deal" he assured them, us al
most concluded, and you will receive "a
Mr.. HAYNES he promised, it is said, the
position Of legal adviser to the -syndi-
cate. Mr.. Cleveland, 1t is rumored, was
to be rewarded with the Presidency, and
similar glittering rewards We're held out
to the others.
when General Kebbe skipped, Colonel
OKell thought that the American eli
mate didn't suit him either, and SO he
took the next boa across to- England,
leaving many sorroWlng creditors TO
bewail the loss of their money.
Mr.. Farmer at first thought of cabling
to Southampton to arrest Colonel Okell,
but by the advice Of counsel he .aban-
doned the idea. He will wait. and he
fears the wait will be long.