New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-07-04

warrants issued yesterday by Magistrate Deuel. in
the Jefferson Market court. charging them with
grand larceny.
They were arrested on complaint of Frank G.
Randall Of Richmond. Va. who alleges that the
prisoners swindled him out of s1,779 by scheme
new to the police.
Ex-Assistant District Attorney Thomas F.
Byrne. who has been engaged by Mr. Randall to
prosecute the case for him. and who has been
working it for several days with the aid Of
Inspector McClusky and Detective Sergeant Nc
Conville spoke for Mr.. Randall last night and
gave his account of the alleged swindle
According to Mr.. Byrne. the men advertised In
the business opportunities in a New-York news
paper that Biles, who a travelling salesman
for a Brooklyn coffee house. wanted to engage in
business on the outside and needed capital Ran
dali answered the advertisement It is alleged that
he received letter from Biles stating that Biles
sold coffee ION the road for the East Indies Coffee
Company, of No 70 Fulton-st., Brooklyn He is
alleged to have stated in this letter that he re-
cetved a salary of only $40 week. but did busi-
ness for his firm of $4,000 year. He wanted to
start in business on the outside, feeling that
he could sell goods at a big profit to the customers
of the East Indies Coffee Company Randall was
invited to come to this city and visit Bies at the
office OF the East Indies company
Mr.. Randall had saved up several thousand dol
lars, said Mr.. Byrne land thought he would like
to invest II in legitimate business. He came on
TO New-York and met Biles by appointment in the
office of the Brooklyn concern. He says that BiIes
told him they could purchase a stock of coffee
from a reliable firm in Front-st., Manhattan and
asked him to open up Office They secured a
small store at No. n Varick-st Biles took Mr.
Randall to an office at No. 136 Front-st sign on
the door reading, Pierce & CO.. Coffee Brokers
There he introduced OBrien to Randall under the
name nan No OF SoSeph Pierce Bes explained that he
tIS9getner and wanted to purchase some coffee. Mr.
and then quoted prices. Ii was agreed to purchase
Supposed res to nd She R R
ne could only give him the coffee at the stated
Randall paid over the d mo me pad cash Tor it Mr.
ro, Be fs went or pretended to go. on the
ROAD 10 sell coffee and several orders were sent
IN We have the names of the firms which are
the orders were rescnded. Mr.. Randall saws that
several days ago Biles came into the office and
Leaned T that he was on the road and had begun
TO nt him o qec eli tnat II would spend $1,000
me that Blles told him that the East indies Coffee
ing to give away coffee for month He said they
could not stand the competition and would have
of course. Mr.. Randall was downhearted but
had the coffee that was sent to him by Pierce 4
20 20 Blies suSgestGd that they go to Pierce and
again to the office in Front-st. and had a long
talk with O,Brien; O'BTien said that he was
then agreed to either store the coffee buy it
the coffee back and take the note snd the 20 no
was made out. We have it, and will produce it as
The coffee that was sold to Mr. Randall was
really OF an inferior quality, and possibly
worth ABOUT $500 Mr.. Randall was about go
back to Richmond when he related the story of
his transacton to friend and the friend told him
1T would bear investigation"
'McCOnVille went to Brooklyn to investigate the
East Indies Coffee Company" continued Mr..
Byrne, and found that they Lad small store in
Fulton-st but he did not find any one there They
had evidently skipped out. He said there a
few bags of coffee in the place bu- of tee
stock was fake stuff McConville says he also in
vesttgated Pierce & Co in Front-st., but could
not md any one at the office. We understand that
the swinding has been carried on on a large scale.
ana we VIII nave many witnesses in court who will
testify that they were treated in the manner
Randall"
Biles and O Brien will be arraigned before Masis-
trate Deuel. this morning in jefferson Market Police
Court.