The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-12-06

serted.
The allegation surprisingly made by
Roberts and as surprisingly sWeepingly
denied by Blair is that me discovered a
system of fraud in Blair's office when
ne says was devised TO deceive persons
VINO made loans 20 st. Louis borrowers
Trust companies issue abstracts Of tue
In three sheets. The first sheet is q pldS
OF the property IN quest ton, the second
sheet Is a description of the property
showing IN whom the title is vested and
lncumbrances; the third sheet carries the
ness Of the abstract. Now, as TO Roo-
erts' charges. which Blair vehementy
characterlzes as false he says he found
evidence that the second sheet of twent-
ry-tWo abstracts was removed and an
other substituted ike that taken out IN
all but the name of the person nOlQlnS
Ond sheets was fictitious person IN
I which name the loan was secured. TO
satisfy the lender, Roberts Gays, 10 was
necessary to forge a certificate of the re-
corder of deeds that the deed OF which
an alleged transcript was furnished was
recorded In a certain book at a certain
page I'm the office Of the recorder
! Throughout this period OF his lnVesuga-
/ tiOns Roberts acted as representative or
! Dick Bros. & Co of 50 Broad street New
I York, and Philadelphia. Ctrcumstance
/ which he does not narrate placed him or
/ unfriendly terms with Blair and he then
I determined to make use OF the mlorulA-
( ton which ne says he gathered only to
satisfy his curiosity.
/ He went to New York. He called upon
{ Evans Dick and endeavOred to present
/ his facts. He had an interview with Mr.
} Dicks attorneys, VINO, ne says aQVlsc1
/ Mr.. Dick TO consider his story seriously.
/ He says that Dick procured the services
I Of George S. Graham, former district al
torney of Philadelphia and that ne. Rob
I erts. Evans Dick and George 5. Graham
came TO St. Louis, that the facts which
/ he had gathered We're brought 90 the at
tentiOn of Blair by Dick and Graham ana
/ that a large sum of money was recov-
cred with promises Of additional sums,
the whole aggregating $4,000
/ Roberts also says that he asCertatned
there were irregularities in some OF the
] securities which formed part of the
Blow trust estate for which James l.
] Blair and u. s. Roberts are trustees, that
/ he brought these matters to the attention
of +. S. Roberts and was told soon after
ward that responsible parties had paid
$50 600 to the Blow estate in correction OF
the Irregularities he disclosed.
Finally. Mr.. Roberts says. all Of the
transactions which he described and CHAR
acteriZed as irregular occurred more than
three years ago, which, under the law
bars criminal prosecution OF the person
responsible for the commission Of them.
''The Blair story was now disclosed 20
the public. RumOr was CrystaliZed. Be
fore the earliest workmen had begun their
days toll on Saturday reporters were OF
of James r. Roberts to "Stancote." Blair
had recovered from the great weakness
which followed his accident and his EFFORT
TO begin the prosecution of those WnC
published what rumor said. He was able
to see the reporters. Walking 1eebly VIII
the aid of a crutCh. he came from his
room to greet them lie read the story
Of James II. ROBERTS with care 10 every
! detail and when he had finished he lighted
{ q cigarette and asked the reporters q
they were ready 10 take his statement as
1t was the old James T. Blair. some
what worn by the experiences Of the pas
: week, not so pink and fit as was his wont
but cool calm and ready.
IT have read Mr.. Roberts statement
he said ut is q tissue of talsehOOu'
woven about a few grains of facts;
Then his anger blazed and IN btuns
sentences he denounced James II. Rob
Z erts. 1t was some moments before he re
covered his pOise and could make al
; analysis Of the charges. Then he said;
Now as to the statement. STRIPED o.
7 it's 1t is said and its circumstantid
Z statements of the doings and sayings o
Z other people, who are either dead or on
= of the city. and of narrative Of things
2 which are said to have taken place, al
- though 8Ir. Roberts does not pretend &
81 have been present, the statement amount
y 'First-The charge that I. by means. o
s forged securities. procured from Die
{ Bros. of Philadelphia the sum Of S340,yy'
t "Second-That I looted the Blow estat
( to the extent of $4,000.
e Both of these statements are absolute
l. ~ false.
g certificates, interest notes, etc, as printe
r this morning, I have never seen OF hessr
r of before They may have been made %
Mr.. Roberts for the purpose Of malssn
his story salable or they may not. Ger
. tainly they were not made by me
z THE public must judge after the gran
y jury has finished its Investigation.
> Upon the fact of Mr.. Roberts state
= ment. which. for more than month, n
- has been trying to sell 20 the varlou
s newspapers Of St. Louis. IT must be al
Il parent that theae IS anlmus TO lnJur'
% Doubtless he has obtained his price, bu
!. it may prove a very dear investment &c
the journal that bought it.
e cit viii be observed that Roberts wa
t. constantly examining my books, as n
IS says. He has not been in my employ
n fifteen years. II. as he says, he exam
b. ined by books it was suFrepuuously, an
such matter as ne has taken from incl
was such as suited his purpose.
I" THE grand jury Investigation is to D
~ made at my request and after all tn
n Witnesses have been examined T viii pro
1 duce TO that body my books ana make
e statement I have so notified the clrcu
Pr attorney OF my desire
Before he concluded his statement N
e. Blair had grown calm and careful of b
81 words. He reiterated his determinatio
to secure n vindicatiou IN the courts.
'u suffering from a broken ankle, I 50
s. out of a sick bed some days ago and ka
- myself taken in a private car TO the 70,
ll courts to swear out a warrant for n
Pc arrest of BrO1meyer, the man who fir
~ made public these malicious rumOrs
~ Subsequent Investigation confirmed NJ
Blair's statement that he had bee
wheeled into the four courts In his pr
II vate car and had sought warrant 4,
.p the arrest Of BrOkmeyer on charge
is criminal libel. But Circuit Attorney Flo
Is denies that 1.-THE grand jury INVESTIGATE
's of the Blair story was undertaken
e, the request Of Blair himself IL had bee
l- a subject of investigation, Mr.. Folk say
ie for several days before the visit Of Bla
lo to the four courts in his private car.
Dr. was because Of the receipt Of a mark'
Io copy Of BrOkmeyer's paper, sent by son
y, unknown person to Mrs. Blair. that q
ne bed and was borne to the four court
,e All Saturday afternoon "A c0nstal
Pc stream Of visitors came I'm their carriag
ll and with foOtmen and retainers TO sta
II cote TO express sympathy and cOnfidenC
r. Mrs. Blair met all her society friends
i1 first and the master Of the manor r
re- ccived and talked to all reporters. st
pc it was the gossip that Mrs. Blair b,
AZ tainted in the morning when she read q
o. newspaper account of her husbands Q
o. legged career in crime.
al Tt was while Blair was debating a stat
mcnt TO a belated reporter that the dr.
matte climax to the last chapters OF &
ar blair story came. He collapsed or 4
- down a flight OF steps, mis- head strikil
- I a stone sidewalk. AIRS. Blair. who hi
H. been keeping vigil over the veranda fro
- [ a balcony window upstairs, tainted Ga
~ sons arms-when her husband fell Stro
r. arms OF newspaper men bore the stricS
III man to his rooms upstairs. where phyi
I'D clans came later and revived the suffert
DC "a Hl