The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-12
THE LOTS UNDER WATER
ARR A.. GILBERT, AGED r.,
CHARGED WITH A REALTY FRAUD.
Claimed He Traded Chicago Property
Out I'm the Lake for Ander.
son Houses.

Harry A. Gilbert, seventy-two years of
age. who claims to be a farmer from Brown
county. Ohio. was arrested yesterday by
Detectives Kinney and Stout and slated as
a fugitive. He is wanted at Anderson, Ind,
for alleged fraudulent dealings in land, and
an officer, e. w. F1nnell, arrived here last
night to take him to Anderson. 1t is claimed
that about two years ago Gilbert went TO
Anderson and made deals with Isaac D.. Bos-
worth, DIR. Jacob Harter. DIR. Fairfield and
T.. L. Maynard, in which certain lots and
lands in Jackson Park" a suburb Of Chi
cago, situated in Porter county, Indiana,
for which Gilbert had warranty deeds. alb
stracts. plats, maps, ETC.. were traded TO the
men named for lots and houses owned by
them In Anderson. 1t is said that warranty
deeds were given Gilbert in exchange, who
Immediately sacrificed the property. convert
ing il into cash and leaving the place.
Shortly after the trades had been made,
but not before Gilbert had disposed of the
real estate in Anderson, some of the men
took a trip to jackson Park to examine
their new possessions. The descriptions of
the land showed the property to be in Por-
ter county, along the lake front, but 1t was
discovered. it is claimed. that the particu-
lar land described was some distance out
in the lake and wholly covered with water.
Steps were taken TO recover, but until re-
Gently Gilbert's whereabouts could not be
ascertained. About two months ago Cap
tain Colbert received from Anderson a state
ment OF the facts. as claimed by those in
terested, and also that Gilbert was supposed
TO be stopping in this city. He was not
found, however. until yesterday, when he
was taken to the station and the people at
Anderson notified. Gilbert, when questioned
regarding the matter, admitted having made
the trades, but claims they were made in
good faith. he knowing nothing OF the loca-
ton or actual conditions, except as he
learned from the deeds. abstracts and maps.
He says the lots in Porter county were Sc
cured by him In a deal with a man named
Brosius, of Terre Haute; that the property
was in the name of Mary Brosius, and he
took the same after being shown the alb
%stracts, maps, etc., without question and
without making a personal Investigation.
He says that after making the trades at An
the newly acquired property i'm the hands of
an auctioneer, with Instructions TO close as
soon as possible. regardless of price. The
a~ucttoneer, whose name he does not remem-
per, had circulars printed advertising the
sale. and sent them to L. l.. Maynard, OF An
derson, for distribution and posting. On the
oCNC VI SoACH tAO ~ OAA(N "1AAN " VI
son and found that Maynard had posted
only one of the bills, and the sale was there
tore postponed. After this Gilbert made a
deal with Maynard for the sale Of the lots,
which were sold. so he claims, one at a
time, for part cash and the balance in notes.
He claims never to have received any money
from Maynard. either from the cash pay
ments or from the notes. which were left
with him for collection. When asked IL he
ever made any demand on MAYNARD for a
thinking it was not worth the rouble. The
property at Anderson which was included In
the deal is said, however, to be worth about
$1,000. Gilbert told the detectives that he
was born and reared In Ohio. but since the
war had been farming a plantation which
that he at one time had an office in the
Stevenson building. Mr.. Gilbert appeared
anxious that the fact of his arrest be not
published, as he has numerous friends here,
and the publication would do him no good.
though he could not see how IL would harm
him. He declined to name his Indianapolis
friends.