The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-03
TRIO OF COTTON WITNESSES.
VAN RIPPER, PECKHAM AND JL DID
OLD ACQUAINTANCES.
Secrets Of . Safe Deposit Box Protected
on the Bankruptcy OF Peckham's wife
BY Payment Made by Judd on Behalf
Of One OF Van Riper's Companies.


Of One OF Van Riper's Companies.
l.. G. Van Ripper, F. A. Peckham and
William M. Judd, the cotton leak witnesses,
have all appeared once before In unison.
They were all mentioned in the proceedings
In involuntary bankruptcy brought about
year ago against Peckham's wife. who
ran various millinery businesses under the
name OF De Faye This was during the
time that the three men are supposed to
have been receiving secret information
for use on the cotton market from Associate
Statistician Edwin s. Holmes, DR.. of the
Department of Agriculture. safe deposit
box is named in the proceedings. which
Mrs. Peckham said contained papers OF
such Importance that at any cost she could
not let any one but herself see them. Judd.
it appears, finally came forward and put up
S., 500 to prevent the precious contents OF
the box from becoming public.
The records show that Peckham's wife,
prior to the summer OF 1904 ran a mail order
business in millinery and women's furnish
ings in Chicago under the name OF the
Sarah De Faye Company. This concern
became bankrupt. After its affairs were
settled and she was free from debt she got
UP another company to do the same line OF
business under the name Sarah De Fayt
Co. Early in 1904 she came to New York
and put up, without troubling to register
at the Hoffman House. In July Lesser
Bros, attorneys, brought proceedings in
involuntary bankruptcy against her on
debt OF about 81, 500 for advertising services.
transferred by the Chicago creditors to
William Rosenbaum of this city. These
services had been paid for with notes in
dorsed by F. A. Peckham but the notes
we're not paid. Lesser Bros. discovered
that Mrs Peckham had a deposit OF a, 100
with the Lincoln Trust Company and had
rented box 42l for 1904 from the Madison
Safe Deposit Company. both, however.
under the name Of Sarah Fay. Judge
Adams, on July Z, 1904. appointed Ebert
b. Hamlin receiver for Mrs. Peckham,
De Fave or Fay, and an order was granted
restraining her from using the safe deposit
box.
The examination, held before Commission
er Alexander showed that L. G. Van Ripper
was the president o. De FAYE q Co., that
managed them from his Office at los Fulton
street, although there was New York
branch Of De Faye d Co. at 4le Broadway.
Il was also discovered that Judd was Van
RiDef q COnnQenIl6l man ana ran Cne new
York Mail and Advertising Company at
the same address, 10s Fulton street. Edgar
Stephenson, a manufacturer Of underwear
at Ia Wooster street. under the name of the
French American Fashion Company, also
admitted that Van Ripper really owned
the greater part Of this concern. Lesser
Bros obtained an order to show cause why
the safe deposit box should not be opened
and an inventory taken of it's contents.
As Mrs. Peckham could not be found notice
was served by publication. Judge Thomas
said that the box would be opened II
crowbar had to be used. In the meantime
additional claims had been fled by Marshall
Field 4 Co. Of Chicago for goods delivered
Mrs Peckham's lawyers then offered to
settle at IS cents on the dollar u the boz
was left untouched. The Lesser Bros. re-
fused the offer. and finally the claims OF
both Rosenbaum and Marshall Field d Co.
were paid in full, with receivers and law
yers fees. total Of $500, on condition that
the proceedings be dropped and the box
left. untouched. The money was paid in
check signed "The New York Mail and
Advertising COMPANY, per William M.
judd The injunction was then removed
and the contents Of the box were taken away.
Whether or not they were the secret reports
on the state Of the cotton crop can only be
surmised. But the testimony Of several
witnesses appears on the records to the
effect that Mrs. Peckham would not; allow
the contents Of the box to be seen, even by
. court o6cer on any CONSIDERATION. Ntts, !.
y. .-f- F-'~N~N~