The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-11
Two VICTIMS Of
ERNST WIN SUITS
Rev. Fathers Meyer and Bloom.
er's Mortgages Are Held
Valid by Judge Brill

A sequel OF the meteoric career of
Casper j. Ernst, the st. Paul broker
now serving a ten-year term in prison
for his participation in mortgage
frauds involving scores of persons and
hundreds of thousands of dollars, was
the filing in the district court yester-
day of decisions in three cases growing
out of the efforts of Ernst's victims to
recover part, at least, of the money
which had been intrusted by them to
Ernst for investment.
The decisions, filed by Judge Brill,
who heard the evidence in the cases
during the May term of court, are con-
sidered victory for Rev. Father Mey-
err of Bayonne, N. j., and Rev. Father
Bloomer, of Milwaukee. two of the
Catholic priests who invested heavily
with Mr.. Ernst. Each of them will
recover part of the money invested
by them, although not the entire
amount. Father Meyer invested $685.
600 with Ernst, and Father Bloomer
SO, 700. The court holds that Father
Meyer has a valid third mortgage on
the Ernst block and that Father
Bloomer holds mortgage on the
Burke homestead, which he is privi-
legged to have sold in order to secure
the amount due him.
Burkes Lose Homestead.
BY the terms of the decision the
Burkes lose their homestead on Far
rington avenue, which they intrusted
to Ernst with the understanding that
he was to settle a mortgage placed
upon 1t some time previously. Mr..
ErnStS wife was a Burke, and her
family, having confidence in Ernst,
made nothing more than an oral agree
ment with him..
The suits, which involved many
technical legal points, were instituted
by Robert L. Ware, Is trustee in bank
ruptcy of Casper Ernst, who sought to
set aside the mortgages held by Faith
ers Meyer and Bloomer, the trustees
real object being to secure judicial
determination of the status of the
claims in order that the Ernst affairs
might be settled more intelligently.
The most important of the three
cases decided by Judge Brill was that
against Father Meyer, the New Jersey
priest who loaned Ernst $4,000 to as
sist the financier in the purchase Of the
Germania bank building, located at
Fifth and Wabasha the name of which
was later changed by Ernst to the
Ernst building. This suit, brought by
the trustee, Mr.. Ware, was for the pur-
pose of setting aside the defendants
lien as a preference over other cred
should be considered the same as a
mortgage, but the mortgage for $110,-
000 held by an Eastern insurance COM
pany, and the $14 600 mortgage, held by
William Egan, are given preference
over the Meyer lien, and the value of
the Meyer claim depends upon the
value of the building.
BIoomer Mortgage First
In the suit brought by Father Bloom
er of Milwaukee, to foreclose on the
Burke homestead, the defendant is
Hannah Burke, Ernsts mother -in-law,
who was herself one of the brokers'
duced to place their property in Ernst's
name, it being understood that he was
to pay off an old mortgage, but instead
of doing SO he is said to have trans
ferred the mortgage to Father Bloom
er, representing that he was the owner
of the premises.
Ernst later gave a deed to the prop
erty to Julia e. Bowen his sister, and
secured another loan upon the prop
erty from Father Meyer. Judge Brill
holds that the mortgage held by Fa-
ther BlOomer shall be given the pref
erence, and that he is entitled to have
the mortgage foreclosed to protect his
loan. The title of Julia e. Bowen and
the mortgage held by Father Meyer
are subject to the Bloomer mortgage,
which carries with it a claim for $3,7OO
and interest.
The third decision involves other
questions growing out Of Fthe same
transaction, and relates to the suit
brought by Mr.. Ware, trustee, against
Father Meyer. In this suit the court
holds that the transfer of the Bowen
note and assignment of the mortgage
to Meyer is valid and that Mr.. Ware,
as trustee in bankruptcy, is not enti-
tied to any relief.
The decisions, while favorable to
Fathers Meyer and Bloomer, greatly
lessen the chances for recovery upon
thn ri Of oil <Df