New-York tribune., 1896-05-15
THEIR CAREER CHECKED.
CAsWELL & co.'s BUSINESS INTERPRETED
WITH BY THE AUTHORITIES.
MEMBERS OF THE FIRM ARE CHARGED WITH
HAVING CONDUCTED EXTENSIVE SWIM
DLING OPERATIONS THROUGH THE
MAII.s-ARRESTS IN BROOK

DIING OPERATIONS THROUGH THE
MA11s-ARREsrs IN BROOK
LYN AND JERSEY CITY
Sigmund Morris and II. NJ Morris. composing
the firm of Caswell & Co. with offices in the
Arbucke Building. together with Annie Caswel
and Isidore H. Myer, respectively clerk and
stenographer have been arrested, charged with
using the United States mails for fraudulent pur-
poses. With the exception Of Sigmund MOTIFS
who was arrested by Deputy Marshal McManus
at his office yesterday afternoon. the prisoners
were taken into custody the night before by Nc
Manus and another deputy, together with Post
office Inspectors benjamin r. Shopp and George
c. Holden. Of Jersey City. where there was
branch Office OF the concern.
The arrest OF the men. so the Inspectors as
s4r is the result of about two months work, in
which they have upturned mass Of evidence,
showing a conspiracy 10 defraud some of the
leading merchants in the country BY means or
false and forged orders for advertising In sew
eral alleged commercial advertising books or
alleged extensive circulation.
The firm Of Caswell & Co. purports to do large
claim-collecting business In perfectly legitimate
manner but the assertion Is not borne out by the
evidence now held by the Postoffice Inspectors.
The firm has been using the mails TO a great
extent and also the Wells. Fargo Express Com
pany through whom It is said 10 have collected
several thousand dollars. The firm is also said
TO have worked under different names. such as
the United States Business Directory Company.
Caswell, Morris e. Co. Hughey e. Co, the United
States Red Book Directory Publishing Company.
the Red Book Publishing Company and the Ad
justment and Reporting Company. but Caswell
e. Co. seem to have had the most success. They
L., and TarSa u
and formerly had one IN st. Louis and In the
Germana Building. this city.
Their chief business. SO he Government off,
cias say has been To collect money on adver-
tislng contracts. They would secure the names Of
important firms In various large cities. and
write them letters from the Brooklyn office TO
the effect that they held certain unpaid claims
for advertising in the Red Book Directory
and the General Wholesale Business Direc-
tory" placed in their hands for collection. SO
far as the inspectors have been able to discover
these books do not exist except perhaps, single
copy owned by Caswell & Co. The firms COM
municated with would. In nearly all cases. reply
Indignantly denying the claim. Having secured
the signatures Of their victims. Caswell Il Co.
,vould then be able to continue operations with
more chance OF success. They would reply
SAYING that they possessed a contract signed
by the firm for a certain amount OF advertising.
and would insist upon payment Inspector
shopp declares that Caswe & Co. made prac-
tlce If forging signatures which. as matter
Of fact the firms written 10 in most all cases
called forgrrics. Then CasweH * co. Wou1u
oncr To- discontinue the fraudulent CONTRACT Ior
a percentage of and grant release lhe'
mail IN this direction was extremely neaVy.
The complaints up, which the arrests "ere
made were based upon two letters sent to the
Wanamaker Clothing. Company and Jonas
fgr5thers. or Philadelphia. The officials also
have other letters OF a similar nature me ihi-
adcInhla letters were written April u. ana the
firms I'm question turned them over to the POST
office people. 49,. s,,zed
everything In the Office bearing upon the ousi-
ness Sigmund Morris was in New iork al the
time and knew nothing of the trouoie. fes1rr
dav afternoon as he was going up 70 MS oinee
,bc elevator boy said to him Look out. you;
they're all pinched.
who's plnched?" said Morris.
"Why. the firm. And say. the deputy 'ooN
rbcn Morris Immediately so he says. hunted
up the deputy that he might be arrested.
~ " Morris when brought before Commissioner
N,rla Yesterday denied that he had had any
thing to do with the Caswel Company tie i IS
member of the printing nrm & 9i nrisonnrs o5k
Ike PROSPEROUS business men. ana dress well
That they are sharp and shrewd - readily sen
by the extent and cleverness OF ,he,r n
admitted 10 bail in $1,000. part or whlch was redl
estate. and the remainder quite large NUMBER
Of diamonds set In rings and earrings and one
immense diamond star.
Siginund Morris, who boasted that he could
produce $50 900 bail II necessary, found hlmseIr
q, 4 o'cloclf unable to secure one-ifth of that
sum. and so spent the night In RAYMOND street
jail In company with his clerk. lsiiore H. Myer'
held i'm default Of $1,000.
Miss Caswell. who Is reputed to be the nrfn'
hut who denies all knowledge Of the transactions
was nut through long course Of questioning ny |
4 Assistant District Attorney Ray. At the end ne |
admitted her to bail on her own recognizance
she took her arrest in perfectly calm, SELF |
nossessed manner. Equally calm last evening |
was Sgmund Morris. who went to jail with TINS |
statement: This is a cInch for me. | am con- |
odont that I'll come out all right I've taken |
many a chance. but I never knowingly did any |
thing wrong.
The prisoners will have an examination within |
n dav or two The arrests, taken In connection |
with those made in Jersey city yesterday AT inc
branch office Of Caswell & Co.. are n cause Tor
10 the postal authorities as com
nIaints have been coming In thick and fast for
the last few months.