New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-11
PETIT MYSTERY DEEPENS.
COMPLICATIONS ADDED BY REVEAL
TIONs CONCERNING QUARTER.

RAN A BANK IN WHEELING WHICH FAILED AND
AFTERwARp WENT TO JAIL FOR FRAUD
FIRST STATEMENT FROM PETTIrs
REPRESENTATIVES,.
The whereabouts OF John Petit the wealthy real
estate dealer, is as much source OF mystery ana
snecuIaf, lion rs ever Since the fact OF his disap-
pearance was made public. numer BUS theories nave
been advanced for the cause OF his withora"ai
from the ken OF his friends. and. while many peo
pie TO whom he is well known th'nK that lie 20 &c
Guiding himself In some place not far from New
York there are others who believe that ne Is
either IN an insane asylum or dead Inc ia'e'e
explain ton for his disappearance Is that ne was
passenger La Bourgogne and went oo"n wiz
that unfortunate vessel 1nere Is ho' i'0ON ~
for this belief however. ~
According TO George Robinson, counsel TOT VIII
lam Calhoun who is seeking TO recover properly
said 10 belong 10 Petit. SOM anonymous pei'
teephoned to him (Robinson) on MONDAY iiisH' '
the missing man sailed under an assumed name ",
La Bourgogne. Mr.. Robinson said YESTERDAY nc
tho o,onymous Individual refused 10 give ms MAINS
or 10 give the name which Mr.. Petit assume, w.
Robinson says that ne does not place an! 'ei
on the Communication telephoned 10 MN mo-
other people who remember that MT fe'.i' ~
,sho5 nearly four months ago. while the ill-tated
French liner sailed on July 2. MOST peop'e -
knew Petit intimately and were acaua'
the pecularities amounting almost 10 ,
ties of his disposition. think that he 10 p - ~
,,raa,Iv complicated are Strengthened OUT oS
tsose IN whose charge he left MS lhteies, s,
pert Is given TO the belef Dy Tue A' -,
M pei,,t's business interests were mucn "i'
and that he took the precaution before ",.nr-
CITY 10 give DR. Henry X. Waite power ~ p.
80. 20 ar, for him while ne was away MI rev
,,,'s son who was In the city yesterday eNpie
the opinon that his father was Aot aeau. ne
DIR Waite that his father had inorpiu ,.
,,,ao,iou and anything in the way OF attachihei,''
Mr.
cause OF his fathers disappearance was ~
thought legal troubles were ineVi'ao'e' ~.
Uoro complications were added yesterday 10 'ne
seen,,ngly tangled state OF analrs Oh u,e 49,
Realty Company by the resignation VI . ~ NJ
worth and F. y. Green. two OF the o'ree'ois' ava.
ph,rso, insisted Yesterday that these two directors
had been forced 10 resign. but MT IreeN' sis
for himself and MS colleague SAID tina. ''e' .,,,
resigned voluntarily, and that he hin'seH ma' ~
er,nloyed as a collector by the company i"e Nv"
directors will probably be elected To-Day <'
g. n ousrrier the vice-president OF the company
according 10 Dr. Waite has also retired. Inc ,
son for Mr. Quarters withdrawal from MS 49,
place In the company is probably que W :,
ure made yesterday concerning CERTAIN 49,,
his earlier life 1t seems tina; IN ls'l priNr'
inos hank institution run by Quarter IN IweH.h-
st Wheeling W. Va. was WOUND up. Inc ue
positors lost every cent or their money on" 80
Quarter was responsible for the smash Is apparent
in the fact that ne was subsequently seh''"O ~
in the penltcDtdry. AA'ei SN.'-''S
five years OF this term he was pardoheo anu oa'io
10 New-York 1t is this man Quarter to whom
have been transferred the deeds OF seVeiai uo.n
OF valuable city property belonging 10 MT re''"'
Quarter is also one Of the defendants no" oeiHs
sued by Calhoun. .
Calhoun, who for some time In the enpioy Vi
Petit and also acted as d director Of the Realty
Company, alleges that properties IN Fihe' "o''.
Greenwich and Water SITS. the estimated Vaiue Oh
which is S. 90. and upon which there are mort
cages OF 100000. belong him. He asserts that
he simply gave deeds in escrow TO Petit VINO was
10 sell them and 10 receive half the proits On De-
half OF Mr. Petit IT is said that the properties were
bought by him and the deeds put in the name OF
Calhoun. who at that time clerk IN MS EN-
ploy when Calhoun. who is said to have been an
actor at one time asked to record the oeeds
he refused. whereupon DR.. Waite. acting under mis-
power Of atorney. decided the whole OF the properties
10 Quarter. Calhoun wants the court TO set asae
these deeds and to appoint receiver. Although nc
alleges that the property belonged to MIN entirely
DR. Waite in an interview yesterday. made the
charge that Calhoun agreed to transfer the prop
erty 10 Mr. Pettits representative II ne were paid
bonus From another source II was ascertaiheo
that the bonus asked for by Mr.. Calhoun was 1900
Since Mr.. Pettit's disappearance became known
Calhoun has talked voluby of his claims 10 the |
property referred but Mr.. Pettit's representa-
tives have declined to speak Of the action brought
against them. Yesterday for the first time Dr.
Waite gave his version OF the ownership OF the
disputed buildings To Tribune reporter he said:
mr. Petit was In the habit when he bought prop
erty. OF having the deeds made out in the name o.
some CT his clerks. AT the same time he would
have another deed executed between himself and
the clerk acknowledging that the property belonged
20 him. I understand that this practice is largely
pursued by real estate in this city, and 1t WAS
followed by Mr. Petit the Of the properties
In Pine, Gold Greenwich and Water SITS
After Mr. Petit disappeared continued DR..
Waite. IAN attachment was placed upon the Green
wich-st property, and as that this course
might be followed by other mortgages in the case
Of other buildings owned by Mr. Petit II was de-
cided IN order not to imperl his interests 10 have
the whole OF the pr>Lesties vested In some respon-
sibe firm individual, as trustees. who should COZ,
lect the rents and pay the inter-. on the various
mortgages until Mr.. Petit returned. Deeds OF
various buildings were In the names OF several Of
Mr.. Petit's clerks. and with their consent these
transferred temporarily pending the selection
Of a trustee. TO Mr.. Quarter. I transferred them
under my power OF attorney. Six properties were
In the % Mr.. Calhoun. He asked TO
transfer. but refused unless he was paid bonus
Thereupon Milton Hopkins. Mr.. Pettits attorney.
who held the back deeds showing that the prop
erty belonged TO Mr. Petit. recorded these deeds.
winch enabled me to put these pieces Of property
in common with the others. in the name Of Mr..
Quarter until the appointment of receiver. There
IS one piece Of property situated IN East twenty;
the back deed. but assuredly Mr. Calhoun will
not be S to retain ness ns wish Sn as
anything regarding Mr.. Calhoun or Of his attempt
10 why SSd decided so much
property TO Quarter In view Of his past history.
Dr. waite said: Il knew nothing about that cpl,
side In hisohfe until this afternoon. He has told
me all about 1t, and / am sorry that 1t must be
made public. For twenty-five years he has been
leading honorable and upright life and II Is a
thousand pities that this should be raked up
against him. His imprisonment so many years ago
was due more TO his inexperience than TO any in
territorial wronydoing. He was left in charge OF
the affairs Of the bank, and through want Of know
cdge OF business affairs made loans which could |
not be recovered. and which ended In the closing |
OF the bank The people OF Wheeling to-day. who |
know the circumstances Of the downfall of the |
savings bank. will say that Mr.. Quarter was guilty
OF nothing than indiscretion and inexperience
In conducting banking business. | nave. from my |
kEoMledge Of Mr. Qnarrier. perfect trust In his |