New-York tribune., 1900-07-28
ICE SNEAKS EXPOSED.
sCHEER ASKS COURT TO PREVENT
TRUST FROM USING HIS NAME TO
DECEIVE THE PEOPLE

Richard Croker. Mayor Van Wyck, John F. Car
roll and the other Tammany whose aggre-
gate holdings of Ice Trust stock control the
American Ice Company have been caught in one
OF the most contemplate efforts TO deceive New
Workers that probably exposed.
John W. Scheer one of the small Independent
dealers in ice who were scared into selling out
their business and outfit 10 the trust, has made
application to Justice Dugro, OF the Supreme
Court, for an injunction against the American Ice
Company. which he supports by charges OF fraud
and forgery. Justice Dugro has set down the hear
ing for Monday. American Ice Company officials
yesterday refused to say word In reply TO
Scheer's grave charges. Following their usual
policy # is expected their counsel will seek TO de-
lay the hearing all he can, and Monday will
ask for more time to prepare his case, He will
probably get ii. and in the interval the trust will
continue unmoested its dastardly efforts to crush
out every little independent ice dealer in the city
RUsEs TO GET CUSTOMERS.
Some time ago The Tribune warned its readers
that the American Ice Company using Soheers
name as cloak TO entIce away such customers of
the independent dealers would not buy ice from
the trust if they knew they were doing so. The
trusts agents solicited business in Scheer's name.
pretending that he was an Independent dealer able
10 sell his ice rates, sometimes offering IL
as low as Is cents hundred pounds, when they
could not entioe e customer away any higher
terms. These pretended agents of Scheer gave his
business address No. 536 West Thirty -eighthst,
and they signed contracts, collected pay
ments. gave receipts and Endorsed checks in his
name, all with the carefully studied purpose to de-
ceive the people who thought they helping
10 defeat the trust by purchasing ice from Scheer.
When The Tribune exposed this nefarous swindle
some days ago Scheer generally believed TO
be a party the deception but subsequent de-
velopments absolve him from that smirch on his
reputation.
SAYS NAME AND SIGNATURE WERE USED.
In fact It was the amount Of contumely which
was poured upon his head and the humiliation
which he suffered at seeing his good name dragged
through the mire by the conscienceess trust which
made Scheer, Ike the proverbial worm. turn at
last When he could stand the disgrace more
and found that all his complaints and protests to
the trusts managers were not needed, he screwed
up enough courage to defy the powerful foe which
had got him in its grasp and appealed to the
courts for protection. In his affidavit Scheer says
that last April he sold his little business to the
trust for 500 and job driver OF a trust wagon
at s14 q week. Nothing said about giving them
the right to his name. but before many weeks
he discovered that the trust had kept his
Office No. $50 West Thirty eighth-st.,
had hired about fifty canvassers to solicit Gus
toners in his name, had employed a man to i'm
perscnate him his bogus Office and there give
ont fictitious interviews to newspaper reporters.
were making contracts in his name, signing
ceipts in his name. and even forging his signature
upon the backs Of checks which customers were
sending in pay for the ice they supposed they
were getting from independent dealer.
Such are Scheer's charges. and his lawyers, Elm
stein & Townsend. OF No 81 Liberty-st., say they
can and will all be completely substantiated.