The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-17
Before n Federal Commits
sioner at New York and Hearing
Adjourned TIL Wednesday.
CLAIMS TO BE AN AMERICAN
AND SAYS HIS COMPANY LOST ONLY
FOUR MILLION POUNDS.
story that Royalty Was Mixed Up in
His Financial Operations Not
Fresh News for LOndOners.

NEW YORK, March 16.-Whitaker
Wright, arrested yesterday at the request
of the London Police, was arranged before
Commissioner Alexander to-day. On his
way to the federal building Wright made
a statement, in which he said: II shall
waive all extradition formalities to go back
to England as soon as the government ma
lures all arrangements. This story about
the amount of money lost is all bosh.' he
said. 1.-THE amount lost altogether did not
exceed four million pounds. This all turns
toward the time when the crash came. The
dividends paid out under a secured capital,
consisting of mining property, were more
than the capital itself of the Globe COM
pany. Tn Boer war. with it's financial ir-
regularities, contributed largely and was
chiefly responsible for destroying the value
of mining properties at the time when our
assets were invested This is scheme or
plan to destroy for the time being the mar
ket values Of mining properties. The Globe
company to-day would be on it's feet had
If not been for the subway, the underground
road In London, but unfortunately in an
unwise moment the Globe became interested
in this and the crash came. The money
was legitimately lost. This occurred two
years ago. / went over the books carefully
myself with the receiver and the matter
was laid in all its entirety before Parlia-
ment.
THE attorney general for the crown told
me himself that had a clean bill of health
and was not culpable in any way. Anyway.
l am an Englishman by birth; I am an
American citizen. 1 have three children
living with my wife i'm England, and three
are buried in Philadelphia Miss Browne is
my niece and is my sisters child. She
came mere 10 visit friends in Philadelphia.
1 came here to examine mining properties"
Wright was arraigned before United
States Commissioner Alexander and the
hearing was adjourned until Wednesday. Sir
Percy Sanderson, British consul general,
was present at the hearing, accompanied
by Charles Fox. the legal adviser of the con-
sulate, Maurice Untermeyer appeared for
the prisoner and said he was ready to pro-
coed. Asked as to whether he would waive
extradition, he said: ION the contrary, /
wish to add that my client states that per-
sonaliy he, would take steamer Immediate
ly for England and answer these charges,
but on the advice of counsel he will await
further proceedings on the part of the
that he is a fugitive from justice. He has
been absent from England three weeks In
Paris. but insists that he is not fugitive
from Justice.
Mr.. Fox asked for an adjournment for
two weeks. pending the arrival of papers
from England. This was opposed by coun-
sci for the prisoner, who said. after con-
sulting his client: II think an adjournment
until Tuesday or Wednesday would be suf-
ficient. MIR. Wright insists he is willing to
return to England at once"
Commissioner Alexander then set the
hearing for Wednesday. Nothing was said
about bail for the prisoner. When asked
directly whether Mr.. Wright going to
adjournment was taken that they might
consider what they might do
The formal complaint against Wright
charges him with fraud in publishing false
statements of accounts of the London and
Globe Corporation.
Miss Florence Browne, said to be
Wright's niece who arrived with him
Albemarle Hotel later i'm the day, visited
the office of United States Marshal Henkel
with her counsel to-day. She was not a
prisoner. MISS browne, while she repeat
edly asked TO be excused from answering
questions, made partial replies when ques-
toned by representatives of the press. She
said she was the niece of Whitaker Wright.
but knew nothing about his financial af-
fairs.
Miss Browne said he did not bring a
large sum OF money with him. 1t is not
the custom of English people to travel with
large sums. she said. ''They secure let
tiers OF credit or drafts instead of CARRYING
large sums of money. l have only a small
sum with me, enough to carry me along
but of course / am able to secure anv
amount | need for any purpose" Miss
Browne said she would return TO England
very shortly.
motion was made before United States
Commissioner Alexander to-day to permit
the United States marshal to turn over to
Miss Browne large portion of the money
found upon Wright when he was arrested
Miss Browne asserted that ElO0 was her
own money and that a large sum in addi-
ton had been intrusted to her by her aunt,
and that she in turn had given il to Wright
for safekeepirg. The marshal decided to
turn ElOO over to Miss Browne for her i'm
mediate needs, and the numbers of the
larger notes are to be cabled to England at
| once to. see If they are wanted there in
connection with the alleged swindles with
which Wright is charged.