The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-14
PINCH "MORGAN, STOKES&CO."
INTHE PERSON OF DOC LANGLEY,
PLAYING THE SAME OLD GAME.

Two Citizens 60 whom He Sold = Little
stock in His Corporations Conclude
TO Communicate With P0lioe-EIderly
Man No. Taken as an AoceSsory'
Doc Langley, who says he is 90 years
old now and il so was IS when he was con-
victed in Boston in 1897 Of obtaining 8, 500
by false pretencss by selling shares in the
stock Of a concern Of which he called him
self treasurer has now become Morgan,
Stokes 4 Co." Of the Potter Building. He
was arrested there yesterday, along with
a man Of seventy-one named hnowlton.
One charge against Langley Is that he
used a firm name without registering It,
but he L. also accused by two citizens OF
separating them from their money by the
same old Boston game. Both prisoners
look respectable and prosperous.
The Copartnership Directory for 1905,
which was not published until March. had
the concern down as a corporation, and
as having Offices at $50 Fifth avenue, and
described 1t az follows:
Morgan. stokes q 90. CTeG. a D, O. DANES
Henry Langley, Pres; Henry S. Townsend. Sec,
capital $4,000 Directors; James Henry Langley.
Henry s. Townsend. W. c. BGncrofu $50 9th ave.
But the shifting Of offices IL nothing.
last September Langley's office was at
$50 Broadway. There David Lang, one OF
the complainants, met him In that month.
Lang says that he bought for $3.50 from
Langley an interest in a business called
the National Mail Order Syndicate, on
Ianeley's gtlars ntee Of large profits or
money refudned. After several weeks
Lang, finding there were no receipts, de-
- IL ala
gave him a promissory note, which was
renewed several times. Lang finally con-
suited the police.
The other complainant IL Peter d. RankO,
who SAYS he met Langley In the Potter
Building through an advertisement q
business opportunity langley, he says
represented he was doing business under
the name Of Morgan, Stokes Il Co, and
that Morgan, Stokes a Co. owned free and
clear ten square miles Of land in Green Brian
Monroe county, Va, that was wonderously
rich in timber and deposits OF minerals
The tract was ripe for working, he said,
and was about to be opened for settlement
under the. Morgan plan for developing
develop the property the firm had been
organized as stock company, With capital
Of $50 600. The shares were SO each.
langley, who was president, agreed, II
Ranke would take $500 worth Of stock, 10
make him vice-pTesident and secretary
at t25 n week beginning April /. langley
furnished Ranke the names Of several
people as references, including that Of
Daniel c. Knowlton, the other prisoner.
Ranke wrote 10 them and Rnowlton re-
plied that he had known langley n long
time as an able business man, capable OF
handling large enterprises and associated
with the leading business men Of the South.
Knowlton, who describes himself TO the
police as a machinist, wrote also that he
was about closing an agreement with
langley In q pilroad enterprise involving
Ranke bought the stock, giving in pay
rnent S4OO In cash and a note for 500 pay
able April rs. Subsequent investigation
shook his faith In Langley and after con-
s,iitinR his lawyer, J. ]. Rooney, be con-
Guided 10 have Langley arrested. Knowlton
IL charged with being an accessory. Tho
police say that Langley has been an ASSOC
ciate OF wire tappers, among whom, II is
alleged, he was known as 'the squareT,'
Il being bis business, on account Of his
good appearance and fine address, TO
mollify the victims and induce them not TO
prosecute. HardmAn, who was one OF the
men arrested 1s a suspect In the Felix
case. and who jumped his bail, was living
With Langley, the police say, at the time
Of his arrest.