Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-11-27
IMPORTANT ARREST.

An Omcer Of the National Contract and
supply Company Of BrRttIeborO I'm
Custody nj Hartford, Conn.---A Paid
Up Capital OF sI70,OOO Claimed.
James II. Langley, alias "Doc" Langley,
known to the Boston police as the liking
of Peter Funks," was arrested Wednesday
at Hartford, Conn.,, on the strength of an
indictment warrant issued by the Suffolk
county (Boston) grand jury, in which i; is
alleged that Langley secured $500 by
means of false pretences from L. Will
der Of Midway, Mass, last May.
Prosecution was begun at Boston last
September and Langley, whs had an office
at 81 School street, soon disappeared from
the city. Before his disappearance from
Boston, Langley professed TO be the agent
in Boston of the National Contract d.
Supply company, with factory in Brat
tleboro, which concern, for certain
amounts payable in weekly installments,
agrees to give the policy holder a proper
burial after his death. Wilder went to
Langley, it is alleged, for the purpose of
investing his money. He alleges that
Langley represented that the concern had
a paid up capital of $175, 900, and this
statement is now refuted by Wilder and
the police. Langley has been arrested
several times by Inspectors Watts and
Houghton of Boston, but he has generally
beaten the compliments.
Langley was living in good shape in
Hartford. He had a suite of rooms in the
Goodwin apartment building, and had Of
fees in the Putnam building, where he
represented the morris estate,' connected
with the Niagara Falls Power and the
National Contract d. Supply company,
incorporated 1895, under the laws of Yer
mont" His confidential clerk is said to
be William II. Nettleton of New Haven.
Langley is an elderly man of fine personal
appearance. Those who have had bust
ness dealings with him in Hartford de-
scribe him as being a clear-cut, sharp,
shrewd business man, and one who mas or
ganized financial schemes.
He has been arrested in Boston, on the
complaint of those interested with him in
enterprises, and charged with fraud, but
was discharged. He has also been arrested
in Rochester, VT, but was discharged.
Several years ago be was interested with
DR.. A. F. Goodrich of Rockville, at one
time state treasurer of Connecticut, in a
Texas scheme in which DIR. Goodrich is
reported to have lost about S15, 900. DR..
Noah Cressy Of Hartford, who has been
identified with the state agricultural mat
ters, was also a loser, it is understood, to
the extent of several thousand dollars.
DR.. Cressy is connected by marriage with
a prominent Brattleboro family.
I The indictments against Langley show
! five counts, charging him with defrauding
persons in regard to their purchases of
shares in the National Contract d Sup
ply company. II is set forth that James
y. Clifford was fraudulently induced to
buy 80 shares for $500, on a promise TO
be elected a director and second vice presi-
dent. Another count charges fraud in
dealing with Lothrop J. Wilder, who pur-
| chased five shares of the stock, for which
| it is alleged $500 were paid. Wilder was
TO receive the general agency for the state
of Rhode Island, and New London and
Windham counties in Connecticut. Chas.
II. Goodwin, the complainant under the
fifth count, was to have been appointed
general agent for northern New York, and
| bought five shares.
The false pretences of Langley are al
legged to have been in relation to the num-
Der of shares of stock that he said had been
subscribed apd paid for, the cost of work
ing capital, the cash paid in, the cash rep
resented as held in trust by Rufus G. Fair
banks and Albert r. Goodrich, trustees;
that no building or factory was owned in
BrattlebOro, and that George c. Bonney
had not bought so shares of stock, all of
which it is alleged Langley well knew.
Langley said to reporter this afternoon
that he had been in Vermont recently,
that he WAS endeavoring TO consolidate
several enterprises, and supposed the Bos-
ton stockholders were getting anxious. 81
suppose l shall have to face them" he
said, when they will probably learn their
| mistake"