The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-05-04
.HON he CUT 4 SVA7H
John ]. Fink on Trial for Doing
Up Taylor's Hotel
in 1894.

John ]. Fink, the gentleman of elegant
leisure who cut such a wide swath at
Taylor's Hotel for about two weeks in
November, 1894, was tried in the General
Sessions Court this morning on an indict-
ment for false pretences. Mr.. Fink ar
rived at the hotel on November II and en-
gagged suite of rooms for himself, his
wife, baby and nurse. His wife, child
and nurse arrived the next day, but be-
fore their arrival several c. o. D. pack
ages came for Mr. Fink. The packages
were paid for by Mr.. Milton RobIee the
manager of the hotel, for Mr.. Fink When
Fink, and his family arrived at the hotel
il was thought singular that they were
utterly devoid OF baggage. After The
second day Mr. Roblee became Suspicious
and had a talk with Mr.. Reed. They re-
called the fact that Mr.. Fink had been a
guest at the hotel on "a previous occasion
and IN a moment of absent t-minde dedness
had gcne away owing some s12
Thereupen Mr. Reed invited Mr. Fink
into his private office and said a few
things 70 him. He told him that the
proper way to manage a hotel was to get
cash from guests or good collateral se-
curity. Then he called Mr.. Fink's atten-
ton TO the fact that he and his family
that a number of C. o. D. packages had
been paid for by the hotel, and he thought
It only proper that Mr. Fink should give
would pay his bill.
Mr. Fink promptly became indignant. He
said he had travelled all over the country
questioned. Then he told Mr.. Reed that
he owned big house at No 1,125 New
hampshire avenue, Washington. that he
had a houseful of servants, owned horses
and carriages, and was man of large
means. On the strength of these repre-
sentations, Mr.. Reed extended his credit
and directed his cashier to pay for what
ever packages might come c. O. D. On
November a, Mr.. Fink was ready to go
back to Washington with his family. He
had run up a bill of s2s7 q. and it greatly
embarrassed him to be obliged to inform
Mr. Reed that he was unable to pay it
just then because he had been unable to
make some collections. He suggested that
he would give Mr.. Reed note for the
amount, to run for two or three days,
just long enough to enable him to get
back toWashington and make connections.
make it a thirty day note. as that would
give Mr.. Fink more time to attend to-
the business. That proved to be salts
factory.
Then Mr. Fink was distressed again. He
was entirely out of cash. and did not
have enough to pay fare back TO Wash
ington. Mr.. Reed kindly obliged him
with loan for that purpose. When the
paid Mr.. Reed, who had endorsed it,
{S9 At 10 and taryaw thaa f9qE %E Rn trip
He found Mr. Fink fun of regrets and
apologies. He was still financially en-
barrasSed, but II Mr.. Heed would accept
would see that 1t was met al maturity Mr.
Reed agreed to the arrangement, as there
was nothing else left, for him to do. The
new note was not met, and Mr.. Reed
still has it.
The defendant was represented in Court
today by an imposing array of legal tal-
ent. There was Windom 8. Woodwork.
a little fat man from Washington, G. N.
Codfng, of New York. and N Carroll
Downs, of Washington Fink's wife, a
stout handsome woman, sat by her hus-
bands side.
In his opening Mr.. Noonan alluded to
the array of counsel and said that outside
of ornamentation purposes he didn't know
what they were there for.
Mr.. Reed took the stand and told the
story of his experience with Mr.. Fink as
related above. The defenee viii enGeavor
to prove that Mr.. Fink was as much a
friend of Mr.. Roblee and Mr.. Reed as he.
was a guest. Mr. Roblee was on the stand
at recess.