New-York tribune., 1901-05-19
SAID TO BE BIG "STEERERS. >
TWO MEN WE'LL KNOWN To THE PO-
LICE CAUGHT ON A CHARGE OF
GREENGOODS SWINDLING.

Two alleged greengoods men were locked up
yesterday afternoon in Ludlow Street Jail Both
were arrested on complaints made by Anthony
Comstock that they using the mails for
fraudulent purposes The prisoners are George
Lehman. alias Niger Baker. and William
Hall. with many aliases.
Lehman was arrested Friday night by
Central Office Detective Davis, and arraigned
yesterday morning in the Centre-st. court.
where he remanded to the custody of
United States Marshal Henkel Marshal Henkel
took his prisoner to the Federal Building. where
he arraigned him before United States Commits
soner Alexander. who held him in $4,000 bail
for examination.
Later in the afternoon Hall was brought from
Philadelphia by Deputy United States Marshal
Myers on a removal warrant signed by Judge
Mcpherson of Philadelphia. Hall was at once
transferred to Ludlow Street Jail
Hall was COOL and asked Henkel If he could
give bail. The marshal replied that he could If
any would give bonds in $1,000 for him.
The two prisoners will be arraigned before
Commissioner Shields on Wednesday.
1t is alleged that Hall and Lehman are
among the most successful greengoods operators
now carrying on the swindle in this country
They sent out circulars, it is alleged, from this
city. also from Philadelphia and from Allen
town. Penn. They and their confederates have
been known as the Mike Ryan gang and also
because much of the material sent out by them
mailed from the West Chester station. They
had a large number of telegraph operators, 10
is alleged. who received kilograms addressed to
them and forwarded them to the right ad-
dresses. 1t is further alleged that a telegraph
operator is wanted by the detectives as an ac-
complice of the two men now under arrest
The concern Of which Hall and Lehman were
said 10 be members has sent out thousands OF
circulars to all parts of the country. One OF
these fell into the hands of Walter d. Stlnson,
postmaster of Augusta. Me. Another went 70
a man in Troy n. Y. Both of these reached
the postoffice inspectors in this city and were
turned over TO Mr. Comstock-
About two weeks ago Detective Gargan met
Chambers-st and West Broadway. Gargan I'M
personated StinSon. He was told that tele-
phone message had been received for MN 10 go
to No 81 Liberty-st. There he met Hail. He
went with him to Allentown; rem. ana 'hsh
Fullerton Hotel Gargan arrested HalL He hred
a shot through panel of the door IN tne room
where he met him, when the proprietor OF the
hotel and two other men had entered the room
and drawn pistols on the detective on Halls cry
for helm Hall was taken TO Philadelphia and
was there held for a preliminary examination
Lehman is we'll known 70 central once men,
Ierv II is said that he is one of the men who
had narrow escape from being shot by two
men father and son, who came 70 this city
from Norwalk. Conn. about two years ago, in
for sale. The farmers went with the "steerer''
TO a hotel Long Island There 5000 in
goods turned over TO them. for which
they paid $500. Then the visitors from NorwaIk
became suspicious grabbed the $500 they had
paid and also the box containing the money
shown them. which. IL is said. genuine
money. Drawing revolvers- they opened fire on
the greengoods men. two of whom were in the
room and drove them out of the window OF the
hotel They themselves escaped with the
booty.