The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-01-24
MACOWAN ROBBED
Trenton's Ex-Mayor Accuses
Simon Buttner Of the
Theft.
$ 2 600 STOLEN
(" Journals Star Witness in
the Noonan- Simpson Case
Again Before the
Public.

"
of Trenton, whose varied career, COM
bined with his troubles with his family
has brought him more or less prominent
ly before the public at various intervals
within the past two years, again achieved
notoriety this morning as the complainant
against Simon Buttner, the proprietor OF
a resort known in the Tenderloin as the
Hotel Chop Suey, whom he charged with
robbing him of $1,000 while in his place.
Buttner, was one of the Journals" star
witnesses in the Noonan-Simpson case.
He was the proprietor of the cafe IN
which some of the fake negotiations
were alleged to have been carried on.
Arthur Sussman, a waiter in the cafe,
was arrested and arraigned in court as
witness.
Mcgowan has been staying at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel for the past two weeks,
and according to his complaint, visited
Buttner's resort, at No. 1,2s1 Broadway,
| formerly the Broadway Garden, on the
| evening of January Is
! IT entered the place." Mcgowan said
this morning in telling his story, intend
| ing to order lunch 1t was about eight
o'clock in the evening, and a waiter In
| formed me that they did not have the
dish ordered prepared. went upstairs
| to the smoking parlor and there entered
into conversation with several men and
women as we'll as Buttner, who had join
ed the party. We had several drinks to-
gether, after which 1 became unnaturally
drowsy. I was led to a couch in the far
end of the room, where 1 lay down, and
Buttner covered me with a shawl. was
soon sound asleep, and don't remember
anything more until about midnight, when
awoke and saw Buttner standing over
me with large fistfun of bills In his
hands. He seemed Disconnected upon see
| ing that I was awake, and hastily left.
/ I did not at first realize that the bills
| were mine but on sitting up and examln-
ing my poekets preparatory to leaving the
resort I discovered that I was short
s., 800. I Immediately charged Buttner
with the theft, which he indignantly de-
MED and ordered me from the place.
| Immediately communicated with my law
yers who advised me to write to Butt
ner demanding a return of the money.
IButtner had previously told me to come
around to see him on Monday afternoon,
but L refused to have any further deal
ings with him upon the advice of my
lawyer and sent telegram declining to
meet him. 1 wrote him letter on Tues
day making the following formal demand
for the return of my money!
"Mr. Simon Buttner, No. 1,261 Broadway,
New York City
Dear Sir-After another conference
with my lawyers and owing to their ad-
vice, I will not call today, but simply
now make formal demand upon you Tor
the immediate return of those bank bllls
to me at my suite, No. 276 Fifth Avenue
Hotel. The bills refer to you know al
about, especially the 1000 bills for was
robbed of them in your place and IN
your presence, to say the. least II moi
Immediately restored and returned to
me- we will this afternoon positively car
4 ry out proceedings already arranged by
my counsel have ample evidence, and,
as told you, I will expend any amount
rather than submit to such robbery 4
| await your prompt reply or response be-
: fore acting, which send by messenger
If you do not comply with request OF
send answer l will regard 1t as a de-
clination and commence with warrants
Immediately.
Yours respectfully,
IL FRANK A. MAGOWAN,
'.Suite No. 276 Fifth Avenue Hotel
GAS I did not receive any answer te
) my letter. said Mcgowan IN continuing
Price, and he made the arrests. Captain
! Price also arrested Arthur Sussman, tht
! waiter, because of Information 1urnishee
the police by inmates of the resort.
The story told by the lawyer for Butt
ner and Sussman, puts the actions OF the
proprietor of the resort on the night upoT
which the alleged robbery took place IL
an entirely different light.
'sMagowan entered my chents place,
he said this morning, 'in an intoxicated
condition on the night of Saturday, Janu
ary Is. He went at once to the smoking
parlor on the second floor where he wa:
surrounded by the women who patronizet
tty-ao ad hV
of money which Mcgowan made. Ma
gowan treated the women to drinks, ant
as time went on became thoroughly reck
r | less in the uses to which he put hi
money On several occasions he was seer ice
to stuff bills of considerable amounts int
e the pockets of some of the women, Whil'
E twice he was seen by witnesses to ligh
: a cigar with bills of large denomina
In court this morning Buttner was n he'll s.
: nation at two O'Clock tomorrow, after
/. noon, and Sussman was held IN Sloo bal
! as witness.