The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-15
GRAYS0N, BROWN, AREMERRILL
IN EMILE. A TRUSTED BANKER,
HANDLING MILLIONS.
ScapegOat for Relative In Boston.
Thousands He Sent to Make Good
Said to Have Been Diverted by Persons
VINO MIXED Him ami Kept the Bars Up.

Said to Have Been Diverted by Persons
who MIXED Him and Kept the Bars Up.
John Brown, 5i William street, New
York, or Charles F. Grayson of Silver
City, n. NJ. or Moody Merrill of Bos-
ton, arrested at Seventy street
and Riverside Drive on Wednesday by
Detective Sergeant Woodbridge on the charge
of embezzlng $500 some ten years ago
from Sarah Cohen of Boston, will be ar
raigned in the Centre street police court this
afternoon at 2 o. clock. 1t may be that some
of the old mans history may then become
court record. Until then, his lawyers,
Wentworth, Lowenstein 4 Stern of $40
Broadway, refuse To make any statement
regarding their client and none of his
friends in town-he appears to have many
of standing and wealth in the financial
district say much about him This
all-around reticence is the result of re-
quest made by the prisoner himself. To his
lawyers and to some of his oldest New
York friends he said yesterday morning;
Il have been arrested on a serious charge,
which must be tried in court. do not wish
to shrk responsibility or avoid punish
ment for any wrong act of mine which
have not rghted. wish to affirm or deny
nothing am down as plain John Brown.
So William street, New York. Let me
remain as such for the present"
His attorneys said they would be glad
to make an extended statement about
their client. had he not bid them to keep
silent. But man who knows said:
when John Brown, IS William street,
New York, was taken into custody, the
New York police arrested one Of the big
gest financiers of New Mexico. Down
IT.. ..f 4 1.
Grayson, president of the Silver City Ma
tional Bank. The bank has capital Of
$50, 900, a surplus of $4,000 and deposits
aggregating s225,oO0. Its New York CORE
spondent is the Hanover National Bank,
and it has correspondents in st. Louis and
in New Mexico. and Mr.. Grayson has been
it's president for more than ten years. And
want to say, although ! have no authority
for 80 doing, that l believe. should there
as result Of the arrest Of John Brown,
the Hanover National Bank will stand
behind the New Mexico institution until
the run is over. The Hanover people will
do this believe, solely because OF their
confidence in President Grayson.
1In the past Mr.. Grayson has handled
very nearly SIS, 900 900 for various banks
and bankers in New York. and every cent
has been scrupulously accounted for.
This may seem no S sxtIaqr sany thing
i
mention it because this man, for the time
being, is held up as a crook II he were
naturally dishonest, he could, in the country
in which he has been living for 80 many
years, have got away with a good part OF
the millions he has handled for New York
accounts and the New Workers could have
whistled for their money.
But what is, perhaps. more interesting
than anything else is the fact that Charles
F. Grayson, the New Mexico banker, has
nayar friaI to conceal the fact from his
friends in New York and elsewhere that he
is, in reality, Moody Merrill lawyer and
financier of Boston: / don't mean to say
that he has worn placards announcing the
people in New York and in Boston knew
that Grayson and Merrill were one and the
Same.
Il don't know that Grayson would thank
me for telling the story, but now that he Is
under arrest. l can see no harm in telling
of the incubus under which this man has
lived and worked and righted wrongs done
to others many years ago. AS Moody
Merrill, Grayson was bigger man in Boston
than he is to-day in New Mexico.
Property was Entrusted to him and
money given to him to invest. One day it
funds had boon dissipated Merrill was
accused and he never lifted his his finger to
the city, which Of itself was confession
of guilt Moody Merrill lawyer, financier,
street railway magnate and once candidate
for Mayor Of Boston, was branded AZ a
felon.
"From that day to this he has never
put In a defence. andNI believe he will put
in none now, even to save himself from
State prison. Some Of his friends, how
ever, know the story behind Moody Mer-
rills alleged defalcation. The man had a
relative who was very dear to him and
whom he trusted That relative made a
misstep, and in trying to get on the straight
road again helped himself to some of the
money and property intrusted to Merrill.
In trying to square the first theft, more
of the money was borrowed and there
after ii was the old story.
when Merrill understood the situa-
ton he said, to all intents and purposes,
I did It,, and fed. Since then he has set
tied with the creditors az he could, and
! am told he has settled every one of the
claims against him, including the one for
$40 900 on which he was arrested here.
The money, as the story has been told to
me. was sent to a representative of Sarah
Cohen. II the woman didn't get 1t, it is not
Merrill.s fault.
Merrill long ago regretted that he ever
assumed the name Of Grayson, and often
he has said 1t was great mistake. But he
wanted to begin all over again when he
went to New Mexico and he did what then
seemed to be best However great the
mistake may have been, Charles F. Gray
son has prospercd in his new home and he
is highly esteemed there. The men and the
banks he has done business with in New
York have no fault to find with him II
he ncta hIich haf h., hou ohar