New-York tribune., 1903-01-28
MILLIONS SWINDLED FROM CITY
FOUR ALLEGED MEMBERS OF DARING BAND or
CONSPIR4 TORS CAUGHT
Il Jerome Daectie Hired TO Imrsonate JesNer Off
Part Of Personal assessment

declared, was approached by Nathan Springer,
who said he wanted d man about fifty years old,
having gray heard. who would represent him
self TO be Monroe B. Bryant The actor was
asked if he could provide such a person. The
District Attorney says that yesterday morning
the information given 10 his office.
Acting on this information Mr. Jerome called
In County Detective Secor, who resembles the
man wanted. With Harcourt, and followed by
two other county detectives. for corrobora-
tive evidence, Secor went to the City Hall about
noon yesterday. There he met Baer, Mr.. Jerome
said, who after short consultation and scru-
tiny, decided that he would do Nathan
Springer also appeared at the City Hall, and
after examining Seco. gave him memorandum
Of his assets. coaching him carefully in the
part he was to CLAW. anG cautioning him espe-
cialy to remember that he was Bryant" A
former ''impersonator," he is alleged to have
said, had forgotten the name of the man he was
impersonating and had signed his own name to
an affidavit, causing much Inconvenience and
a little danger
Together Baer and Secor went from the City
Hall to the offices of the Tax Commissioners
meeting there a third man, who, Mr.. Jerome
says, has not yet been arrested. His connec-
tion with the case was not explained. After a
conversation with this man Secor represented
assessment reduced. They then left the build
ing. meeting. it is alleged, Harcourt and
Sawyer, a new man to the county detective.
Harcourt and tn detective obtained SO each
from Springer Mr. Jerome said. Then going
to Sawyer's office. Secor obtained, it is asserted,
an additional 50 by saying that the others had
not paid him. Leaving there, he hurried with
his information to the District Attorney.
a Detective Sergeant McNaught and Detectives
Maher and Becker went after the alleged
spirators Moses Springer and Sawyer were
arrested Immediately; Baer was soon found at
the City Hall. and Nathan Springer was ar
rested in Baer's office waiting for him. They
taken to the District Attorneys office.
where they were yloseted with him for two
hours before the arraignment.
The city has been honeycombed' Mr.. Jerome
said. with these people, who get taxes reduced.
In the spring you hardly go the street
without being stopped by them"
Sawyer is said to have confessed to the Dis
trict Attorney and to have told all he knew
Mr.. jerome would not make public anything of
this confession, nor would he discuss in any
way the possibilities of any officials or employees
of the Tax Department being implicated in the
alleged swindlng scheme He said that the
scheme far reaching in its ramihcatio
and that there undoubtedly would be further
arrests
The District Attorney said that Mr. Bryant
had been at his office and that he had long
talk with the jeweller and had been assured
that Mr.. Bryant was in no way guilty in the
case before him. He said Mr.. Bryant's assess
rnents had been doubled each year starting at
$1,000
Mr.. Jerome said shat cases of this sort were
common He told of a number of instances
I,ad u0Tt 10 al a
reduction of assessments, but said he had not
been able TO do anything. One assessment of
$3.50 900 had been reduced almost to nothing, or
entirely taken off he did not remember which.
That the city is being mucted to large
amount is certain he added. TO what ex-
tent 1 will not undertake TO estimate. The mat
ter now is going to be sifted to the bottom,
and [ am certain there will be some surprising
revelations
Mr. Bryant was seen al his home last night
He said that lie had been instructed not to talk
2 about the case He had been With the District
Attorney nearly all the afternoon, and knew
little concerning the actual story Of the arrest
If the men. He was told the names, and said
no recognized only one of them. When told |
that if was charged that man had been hired |
10 nersonate him an1 that the reduction was |
obtained in that way Mr. Bryant seemed much |
surprised.
why" he said. Il had no idea that such |
thing was to be done. l assure you that |
would rot agree to any such proposition as |
hat. and had no idea it had been done
Philip Paer has for number of years been
the Iibraria of the city, and has charge OF the |
documents of the various city departments. lie |
is under the direction of City Clerk Joseph |
ScuIIy. and formerly had q salary OF Sl'ooo |
year. Under the last budget TINS sum was
slightly increased.
At the home Of MI Baer II was saiu iaS'
,iort that he was not at home; had not been at
,o,,,a during the day; would not be at home
during the night and that if he were at nome
- would have nothing to say about the case