The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-25
BLAIR ACCUSED OF FORGERY.
CHARGED BEFORE GRAND JURY
WITH STEALING $4,000.

Former General Counsel Of the st. Louis
worlds Fair Att acked by Former
Clerk. Who Discloses Alleged Omcc
secrets-says He Sw!ndled by Forged
Deeds and Made a Confession.
ST.. LOUIS, Oct 24.-James Lawrence
Blair. former general counsel Of the worlds
fair, is charged by James L. Roberts, an
! attorney and former stenographer in Blair's
Office. with having embezzled some 100000
from Dick Bros Il Co. of New York
and Philadelphia, and with having diverted
to his own Use some $4,000 belonging to
| the Blow estate. Roberts told his story
to the Grand Jury yesterday and to-day
for the first time it was published. Ac-
cording TO Roberts, Blair has been leading
dual life for a decade or more.
Robertss accusations against the man
who had bcfriended him are astounding.
His knowledge Of the facts, he says. was
obtained through long business intercourse
with Blair He entered Blair's Office
| as a general clerk, remaining there for nine
months. Roberts says that he discovered
discrepancies in Blair's accounts, which
led him to make an investigation, which
disclosed a series of forgerics and the dis
sipation of funds entrusted to the keeping
of the accused lawyer.
Roberts ia authority for the statement
that Blair, by means of forged deeds OF
trust, secured enormous loans from Dick
Bros. 4 Co., the bankers, to whom he was
related. and whose agent he was at 81.
Louis He charges that Blair secured
loans in the names of fictitious persons.
| and that. in order to protect himself and
| make his deception complete. he had to
| surround them with a subtle scheme of
| forgeries.
Roberts says that in this manner Blair
| succeeded in securing bonds in the.sum OF
! s340.O0O from Dick Bros, which they be-
lieved were made out on bona fide deeds
| OF trust on St. LOUIS property. As matter
| of fact, the deeds of trust and the notes ac-
cornpanying them were fraudulent.
Roberts says that when he got possession
Of all the facts, details and proofs he laid
them before Evans II. Dick. cousin of
torney. in Philadelphia. and that they came
! with him to ST. Louis in January, 1902, and
made an investigation.
When Blair was confronted in his Office
by Dick and Graham, and accused of the
forgeries and misappropriation OF funds,
it is said he made full and complete con-
fesson and promised to repay every cent
! he owed. This promise carried with it
another to modify his method of living and
to use every dollar he earned, over a GER
| tain amount for expenses. in repaying
what he owed to his relatives.
Roberts says that when Blair became
! aware that he had the proofs of his guilt.
Blair threatened to do him great bodily
harm.
when Blair began to realize how much
I knew about the affair." says Roberts.
-he turned to me with look OF intense
hatred in his eyes and said: Roberts.
ought to kill you told him that did
not think that mar OF his moral character
would hesitate to add the crime of murder
| to the crime OF forgery.
II told him the papers relating to his
| guilt were in q safe deposit vault, with
| full statement Of the case, end that any
successful attempt on my life would re-
suit in his having to face the charge Of
both murder and forgery.
81 might add in this connection that the
next morning Mr.. Blair did bring Down
his revolver, and was seen to slip it into a
handy drawer, undoubtedly intending to
Use il on ne if the opportunity presented
Itself"
1t was due to the great confidence which
Blair's relatives placed in him, Roberts
says. that he was able to continue his career
of crime for so many years without detec-
| NJ al
made out in the name OF some fictitious
owner on property which really did exist.
were never recorded.
The numbers purporting to show the
book and age in which they were recorded
are alleged to have been false.
One specific case is mentioned in which
Mr.. Blair negotiated n loan for $l7,s85 in
the name of Jonathan Gould on the prop
erty of the Gould Directory Company on
Locust street, between Eighth and Ninth
| streets.
The name Of Jonathan Gould was fcti-
tious No such person existed. and " hen
Blair got the money, Roberts say, he
converted it to his own use.
This deed of trust bore the acknowledg.
rncnt of Walter c. Jenkins notary public
| H. develops tildI IUtTt WIS SUCH notary
az Walter e. Jenkins, and that the notara
seal was bogus
It is So id that when Blair me de application
for the loans in the name Of some tict itious
per. on on sreciGc pieces OF property !t
would aflerward change the abstract OF
title to make it conform to the application
The deed OF trust would then be forged
and likewise the principal and interest
notes.
Then tie notary's certificate atte-t!rg
the deed would be forged ard finally III.
certificate of the Recorder OF Deeds showing
that the deed was recorded in certain
book on certain page.
Roberts says that he began to discover
proof of the alleged crookedness soor
after he entered Blair's Office, ara that
shortly after the partnership was formed
between Judge Sedden and Blair b" ii,
covered "A bundle of papers which furnished
him core elusive evidence Of the work
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THE DIXIE M RRiED ~ SEA