The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-30
CASPER ERNST FACES
SERIOUS CHARGES
Client Accuses Him of Having
Embezzled $500 and Forged
Power of Attorney.

casper Ernst was arrested at his
nome on Summit avenue Wednesday
night, charged with forgery and en-
Dezziement- The warrants for the ar
rest CT Mr.. Ernst were sworn out by
Rev. John b. Metzler, a Catholic priest
of Chippewa Falls, Wis, for whom Mr.
Ernst has been transacting business.
Enc arrest of Mr.. Ernst was kept as
quiet as possible, the police department.
denying that any warrant for his arrest
had been given for service.
instead of taking Mr.. Ernst to the
central station, as is the ordinary pro-
cedufe, he was permitted to remain at
his home all night. Detective Murnane
being stationed in the Ernst home dur,
ing the night
Yesterday morning Mr.. Ernst was
arra1gned In the police court to answer
10 the charge of enbezzlement, but he
pleaded not guilty and Judge Hine
nXed the amount of his bail at $1,000.
The police court has no jurisdiction in
forgery cases, and Mr.. Ernst was ar
ralgned before Judge Orr in the dis
trlct court, where he pleaded not gull
" ana mad bail fixed in the sum of
93,060. After delay of an hour Mr..
Ernst succeeded in furnishing bail in
both cases, which are set for prelim-
mary hearing Nov r.
For some weeks past run1ors have
been current regarding Mr.. Ernst's
strained financial condition, but his
arrest upon a criminal charge caused
considerable surprise among his friends
and business associates
Charged With Forging Power of At
torney.
The complaint in which Mr. Ernst is
charged with embezzIement accuses
him of appropriating to his own use
the sum of $500 which had been en-
trusted to his care by Rev. John Metz
Ter, for whom Mr.. Ernst was acting in
the capacity of agent. The money is
said to have been fntrusted to him July
%, 1901
The more serious complaint, in which
Ernst is charged with forgery, alleges
that he falsely certified to a power of
attorney said to have been given by
Mr.. Metzler to Attorney Albert Mueller,
authorizing the latter to sell. by fore
closure, piece of property located on
Mississippi street, upon which Mr..
Metzler held mortgage given by
Simon and Agnes Muth to Ernst, and
by Ernst assigned to Metzler. The
power of attorney, to which the COM
plainant says his name was forged, was
filed for record with the register of
deeds July %, 1903, and last September
the property was sold under the power
contained in the alleged forged docu-
ment.
The records in the Office of the regis
ter of deeds show that the property
was bought in by Mr.. Metzler for 1858,
5 the amount of the mortgage and ac-
erued interest. The alleged forged doc
ument, according to the complaint of
Mr.. Metzlef, was drawn while MetZler
was out of the city, but Mr.. Ernst, in
his capacity as notary public, filed a
sworn statement that Mr.. Metzler had
personally appeared before him and ex-
eeuted the document on the very date
when the complainant says he was out
of the city. Mr. Metzler says he never
learned of the forgery or sale of the
property until three weeks ago, and
then quite by accident. AS soon as he
had been informed of the sale of the
property he came to st. Paul from his
home at Chippewa Falls and went to
the office Of the register of deeds, where
he made a careful examination of the
records, after which he declared the
document to be forgery.
Alleged Forged Instrument.
In the complaint charging forgery, it
is alleged; that Mr. Ernst certified
falsely when he swore that John b.
Metzler had acknowledged the execu-
ton of an instrument which could be
recorded. The full text of the instru-
ment to which Mr.. Ernst is charged
with having certified to falsely is as
follows:
BE it known that 1 John B. Metzler
and executed by Simon Muth and Agnes
Muth, his wife, to Casper Ernst, ON the
goth day of December, 1901, and recorded
in the office of the register of deeds of
sofa. on the Goth day of December. 1901,
at ESQ o'clock p. m, upon that GER
tain tract or parcel 9ed Of land lying and
as follows, to-wit: Lot II, in block l,
Krahtz division. have retained, author
lied and empowered and by these pres
Albert Mueller, an attorney-at-law. Pesid-
ing in ST. Paul, to foreclose the said
mortgage above described, by advertise
ment for me and in my name, and to
take all proper steps and proceedings nee
essary and incident to the proper fore
closure of the said mortgage.
in testimony whereof l have hereunto
affixed my hand and seal this 21st day
Of July, 1903.
"Jehn B. Metzler,
In presence of Thomas J. Grace and
Mr.. Metzler denies that he ever ae-
knowledged the instrument or gave
any other person authority to do so, all
of which, he complains, Mr.. Ernst we'll
knew.
After Mr.. Metzler purchased the as
signment of the mortgage given by the
Muths to Ernst, he left the document
agent for Mr.. Metzler for two years
past, during which time he handled
large amount of funds belonging to Mr..
Metzler. It is charged by Mr.. Metzler
that Mr.. Ernst has made no report of
the $500 which he is alleged have en-
bezzled.
Many Inquiries Regarding Ernst.
1t was stated at the Office of the reg
lister of deeds that numerous inquiries
have recently been made regarding
financial transactions in which Mr..
Ernst is interested. Some of these in
quiries come from outside the state
and others from St. Paul and Mime
apolis.
During the past six weeks the rumor
has prevailed that Mr.. Ernst was in
somewhat stringent circumstances, and
several financial deals added color to
the rumor. Some time ago he pur-
chased the Manner building on Waba-
sha street, and about year ago he
purchased the Germania Bank building
at Fifth and Wabasha, which was later
called the Ernst building. This build
ing was purchased for $4,000, Mr..
Ernst paying SCI 900 in cash and as
Stunning a mortgage of $4,000. held by
the Penn Mutual Life Insurance COM
pany, of Philadelphia.
w. Fl. Egan now holds a quit-claim
decd tO the Ernst building 6 security