The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-04
BRLCHER'S RoRGERIES GROW.

@.S~sAe - SAeSe~eA.~ CesO -
MANY OF PATERSON'S POOR LOSE
THROUGH MISSING MAYOR.
Sentiment Turns Against Him % Mlsdee1s
Como 70 nsht-Asd Bogus Stamp
70 Aid Msrtgsge-Extent q Gains
Unknswn-Is Accused q Petty Taefts.
William H. Belcher, Paterson's reform
Mayor, L. still In the dark, but his deeds sre
coming to light. With the revelations ti,sre
is q change in Paterson sentiment.
People still recount the fact that he never
smoked nor drank and seemed their fore
most exponent Of the upright LIE. but at
the same time they refer to him - . forgef
and confidence man. Even the Paterson
papers. which at first refused to print the
charges against the Mayor. now toll the
worst. 4Stole Right and Left Was the
heading ono Of them put on the story Of the
Mayors doings yesterday.
The principal cause OF tho change Of
sentiment was the appearance In the County
Clerks Office at the opening Of business
yesterday morning OF Mr.. and Mrs. Al
phonse Meneve with mortgage purporting
to convey to them property In Thirtieth
street, Passaic.
George s. Berdan was the supposed
giver of the mortgage. his acknowledge
ment being taken by Mayor Belcher. II
was stamped as received in the County
Clerks office in September. 1901, and bore
County Clerk slaters signature to the state
ment on its face that it had been recorded
in Book Ms, page 47s. After one glance
at 1t County Clerk Slater said:
FORGERY THROUGHOUT.
Il am sorry for you. No such mortgage
has been recorded here. My signature
is forged to 1t. fear you have been do
ceived shamefully"
A search Of the records showed that the
property described in the mortgage was
not owned by the reputed mortgager and
that his name had been forged. Meneves
the reputed mortgage, is a harness maker.
In the early years Of their married life his
wife took in washing to supplement his
earnings and they put SO q month into
the Manchester Building and Loan Assoc
citation, OF which Mayor Belcher IL prest.
dent. In eleven years their stock matured
and they received $4,000. Meneve left tho
money with Belcher, telling him to invest
1t for them at s per cent. In first mortgage.
In a few days, according to Meneve,
Belcher took him to see some property IN
Thirtieth street and told him tho owner
wanted TO borrow 5000. Meneve did not
inspect it closely. He saw at glance that
It was worth the amount and told Belcher
to close the deal. A few days later Boloher
gave him a mortgage, together with IN
abstract Of title. Meneve had the abstract
with him. It contains false entries.
Meneve turned pale as the extent Of the
imposition upon him was disclosed, and
his wife sobbed as they left the once.
POOR woMAN's SORROW.
we worked so hard and denied ourselves
80 much. The pity OF IT, shs said.
Attorney j. w. Deyo. loser on account
OF the Mayor to the extent Of d, 400 through
the Endorsement Of note In the Paterson
Savings Insti tuition, came into tho County
Clerks Office close upon the departure q
the Meneves. He was not searching IN
order to recoup his own loss. That he has
met without a complaint. He wanted to
know how heavily mortgaged was piece
Of property in Haledon, suburb Of Pater.
son, owned by Absalom Grundy, principal
of the school in that place and q clerk in
Belcher's office.
Mr.. Deyo said nothing at the completion
of his search, but it was reported on reliable
authority that he had discovered the prop.
erty mortgaged for 5000. that Abs.!om
Grundy had bought It through Belcher
and that Belcher had represented to him
that It was encountered to the extent OF only
81, 800. Mr.. Grundy would not deny this
report. He said:
"Allthe property have bought through
MIR. Belcher. I was q clerk in his office
and trusted him implicitly. I have moth
ing to say about the condition Of II. Tho
whole matter is in the hands Of Mr.. Deyo.
my attorney r.
ANOTHER CLUMSY FORGERY.
In the afternoon an officer Of the Man.
chester Building and Loan Association
brought into the Office another mortgage.
Just found among Mr.. Beloher's papers.
It purported to be given by the Messervs
Land Company, a concern organized to do
real estate business in the town OF Manches-
ter, for the loan association. The con-
sideration was "a, 400. and 1t bore among
other signatures that OF Mr.. Belcher a.
president Of the Messerve company. Like
the Meneve mortg gage 1t bore the receiving
stamp Of the County Clerks ONCE and this
certifcation: Re
Received in the office OF the clerk Of
the county Of Passaic on the 18th day Of
November, A. d. 1899. at IL O'Clock A. NJ.
and recorded In Book 8 10 Of mortgages for
said county. page 81.
"A. d. WINFIELD. Clerk
Book BIT is the highest numbered book
of mortgages in the Office, and the state
ment that this mortgage was recorded in
Sic made County Clerk Slater smile. The
certification Of his predecessor. Mr.. VIM
field, he readily recognized a. clumsy
forgery, but the mortgage turned out to b
genuine. The circumstance revealed nsw
phase OF the Mayors operations.
HAD BOGUS RUBBER STAMP.
He had In his office q rubber stamp
made In imitation Of the received stamp
used In the County Clerks Office. With
this he had stamped both the Meneve and
the Messerve mortgages. and no had forged
the certiications in order to mako II appear