The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-07-13
William G. Benton the Dis
appearing Manager Of
the Mutual Home Com
pany Served a Prison
Term Here
RAN A sWINDLE IN NEWARK
THEN HE WAS WILLIAM BENTON
CA RLTON, HEAD OF THE
NORTH AMERICAN REALTY
COMPANY.

COMPANY.
BROOKLYN, July 13, 1906 William
G. Benton, the general manager of the
Mutual Home Realty Company, who dis
appeared from Brooklyn week ago, is
an ex-convict. Inquiry in Newark, n. j.,
revealed the fact that he ran afoul of
the authorities in that town three years
ago and was sentenced to two years in
state prison for conducting a wildcat
real estate enterprise, many of the I'M
derlying principles of which were identi-
cal with those he employed as manager
of the Mutual Home Realty before he
fled.
He didn't serve the full term imposed.
After being in prison for a little more
emily refrained from active business op-
erations until he turned up in this hor-
ough four months ago. as the manager
of the company, against which so many
complaints have been made.
Benton didn't operate in Newark un-
der the name of Benton. He was known
there as William Benton Carlton, and it
was only by chance that it was discov-
arod +ba+ Ranton o,d Cor rlfon vvnrn ono
and the same man. Soon after the Mu-
tual Home Realty Company moved into
it's present quarters, on the fourth floor
of the Temple Bar Building, ON Court
street, Benton decided that it would be
advisable to open a branch office in New
ark He went to that town to select
location and had the misfortune to be
seen by d detective who remembered
| him as the head of the North American
Realty Company, which gathered in more
than $4,000 from the pockets of New
ark's working people in 1902 before it
was finally brought to book and three of
| its members indicted.
| A strict watch was kept on the move
ments of Benton, with the result that as
soon as the Mutual Home Realty opened
branch office ON Clinton street, New
ark, Attorney-G General McCarter institut-
! ed proceedings against the company for
its failure to comply with the building
and loan laws Of New Jersey. Bank
Examiner Galpin came to this borough
| to investigate, When he entered the
company's office he was introduced to
the officers of the concern. He smiled
when a slender, dark complexioned young
man, possessed of suave manners and a
pleasing address, was brought forward
and presented as William @. Benton, the
general manager and he remarked that
he had had the pleasure of Benton's ac-
quaintance before. Benton tried to bluff
/ it out, but to no purpose. Mr.. Galpin
exposed him then and there as the man
;. who, under the name of Carleton, had
! been convicted in Newark of operating a
1 wildcat real estate concern and sent to
prison.
According to the story told by Chief
of Detectives Charles f. Hummel in
| Newark yesterday Carlton appeared in
! Newark in the summer of 1902. With
! two other men known as William O..
Rowley and G. Gordon Ware. he took
offices in the Lawyers Building, on Mar
| ket street, a building owned by them
| prosecuting attorney of Essex County,
| Chandler w. Riker, and proceeded to do
| business under the name of the North
American Realty Company. Like the
Mutual Home Realty, the North Ameri-
can Realty issued contracts which were
to mature when certain installments had
been paid in by its clients. The under
lying principle Of the whole business was
the old-time 'sendless chain"
For nearly four months the company
prospered exceedingly. The cash poured
into its Golfers in an almost unceasing
stream, the majority of the contributors
being men and women of slender means.
Yet so cunningly was the scheme con-
trived that ignorant working people were
not the only ones to take the bait. Chief
Hummel said that Carleton actually per-
suaded Chief of Police Hopper to become
a stockholder in the company. Hopper
went into the scheme, believing it to be
all that was represented. When explo-
sion finally came there wasn't more
thoroughly frightened man in all Newark
than the head OF the police department.
Trouble began to brew for Carlton
and his associates early in December,
1902. Prosecutor Riker learned that the
1comDanY had been using his name as an