The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-11-18
MORE CONWAY DEALS
Mortgage Frauds Still Coming
to Light.
A HANDSOME CLEANUP
ABSTRACTS WERE ~DOCToRED''
BY THE BROKER.

of forgery. of Porter J. Conway, the
dashing stock and investment broker
and insurance agent. fresh evidences
are coming to light almost daily of
crooked transactions that must nave
been financially profitable to him. Yes
terday two instances of fraudulent
mortgage transactions were reported by
the victims.
According to the story related by Ad-
Olson Cain, the money lender, one of
his clients, Frances B. Lawrence has
been victimized by Conway TO the tune
of $500 and interest on a mortgage on
414x7 rods of ground on the south side
of First street. between I and J. On the
Sth inst. suit was instituted in the dis
trict court by the mortgage holder
against William z. and Annie Vollmer,
the purported mortgagors, to foreclose
the mortgage, which was executed only
a few months ago. but upon which in
terest was past due.
Mr.. Cain stated to The Herald yes
terday that he had made every effort
60 locate the NoIlmers, but so far he
had failed to find in the public records
or from other sources of information
that any persons of that name existed
in fact, or that they ever owned the
property upon which Conway secured
the loan. In this case the scheme was
worked by Conway tearing out the
sheets in the title abstract TO destroy
the Drima facie evidence of the real
ownership or trace of encumbrances,
Just as was done when Rev. Richard
Wake came so near falling into the
$4,000 trap Conway had laid f-ss- him,
and which resulted in his arrest on the
charge of forging signatures.
Langton Was Financed.
Another strange tale of Conway's
methods was related last evening by
William LangtOn, manager of the Peo-
pies Cash Store. A couple of years
ago, he says, Conway came to him with
the statement that one of his clients.
one Catherine c. Harris. had purchased
at assignee's sale in Kansas City a
mortgage in the sum of $4,000 which
was held on his North Temple street
property by the Lombard Investment
cOm9an-, and stated that he was au-
thOriZed to collect the interest. mas
much as the merchant had been I'M
able for d long time to learn to whom
he should pay interest, he accepted
COnway'S word and paid him the inter
est from that time or till Mr. LangtOn
conveyed the property by deed to Cath
crime Harris in order TO avert a threat
ened foreclosure q few months ago,
taking. however, from the mortgage
holder a written agreement to convey
back the property within a year upon
payment of the principal and interest
accruing.
Notwithstanding that he made re-
peated requests of Conway 10 give him
the address OF Mrs. Harris. Mr.. Lang
ton says that the best he could get
from the broker was that the woman
lived in Philadelphia Inquiries by Mr..
Langton through attorneys failed to
elicit any tangible evidence that there
ever was such a person as represented
by Conway as Catherine =. Harris. I'M
less she was in Philadelphia, Butte,
Park City and Salt Lake at the same
time. Now Mr.. I4angtOn is satisfied
from information he secured a few days
sgo that the Harris woman was a
woman of another but similar name
with whom the broker was quite init
mate in this city until the day before
Conway skipped, when she also disap-
peaTcd.
Property Mortgaged Since.
Further stating the case, Mr. Lang
ton said that a few days ago a Mrs.
Martin called on him with the informa-
ton that she had mortgage for $1,000
negotiated through Conway, on the
property in which the merchant still
has an equity of redemption. Mrs. Mar
tin showed the mortgage TO Mr.. Lang
ton, who expressed surprise that she
did not know there was a prior mort
gage for $500 on the property running
to Seward H. Fields. Both r1ortga ges
purport to have been executed by Cath
crime c. Harris. Mrs. Martin was very
much agitated when Mr.. LangtOn con-
NiBced her that in her case also the
evidence of the existence of the first
mortgage to Fields had been torn out
of the title abstract furnished to her
by Conway. just as it had been in other
mortgage frauds alleged to have been
perpetrated by the fugitive.
Mr.. Langton believes he will have no
trouble in establishing in court his
equity Of redemption in his property.
The merchant says that Conway once
told him that Catherine &. Harris had
loaned out on mortgages through his
agency $50, 600 on salt Lake City real
estate. Mr.. LangtOn is Inclined to be
lieve that this sum represents the
amount of the abscondin= brokers'
cleanup from the use of this name.
Genter's appointment.
E. w. Center, manager of the Utah
Savings & Trust company, was yester-
day appointed to succeed P. J. Con-
way as resident agent of the ST Paul
Fire & Marine Insurance company. the
appointment being made by Assistant
Manager Goodwin, who has for the
past ten days been engaged in the in
VeStigatiOn that led to Cow. avs IN
doing. That the appointment is a
splendid one IS recognized by all who
are acquainted with Mr.. Center and
his clean business methods.
Mr.. Goodwin stated last evening that
he had about completed his investiga-
ton and his company is loser only
about $780, outside of the fire loss they
paid a year ago, amounting to 81 200.
There are yet a number OF policies
missing from COnWay'S papers, be-
longing to this company. which it is
supposed have been used in some man
Eer to bolster I'D loans or carry out
some more crooked work in one of his
many fields.
Some weeks ago the St. Paul COM
pany sent an agent out here to look
into COnWay'S records. and one case
that looked suspicious was discovered.
Conway was told that there would
have to be a change in the agency. but
he tried to explain the matter away
and it resulted in his digging up $500
to cover the illegitimate transaction.
Even at this time the St Paul people
had the most implicit confidence in
their agent. It was not until the case
of forgery was charged against him
that they concluded to investigate fur
Their They viii take no steps to bring
him back, their loss being so slight.
Simpson Seal Found.
The seal of 90. r. Simpson. notary
public" which has been used on all
the forged papers in the Conway case,
was yesterday found in pile of rub