Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1906-02-16
CONVICTED OF GRAND LARCENY.
"Doe" Langley, who Agreed to Buy Cen
trevllIe Shop for Coffin Factory, viii Be
Sentenced In New York Today.

Sentenced In New York Today.
The conviction in New York city, Tues
day, of James II. Langley, alias DOC"
Langley, on the charge of grand larceny
brings to mind an interesting chapter Of
local history in which Langley figured
conspicuously. Langley is SIS years old
and is one of the most notorious conf
dence experts in the country. His photo
graph adorns the rogues galleries in all
the principal cities. He is known in Bos-
ton as the king of Peter FunlSs" and his
photograph in the gallery in that city
stands at the head of the list. He will be
sentenced in New York today.
Langley was arrested in Hartford
Conn, Nov. %, 1896 on a warrant issued
by the grand jury in Boston alleging that
he secured money on false pretense. He
had been doing business as agent of the
National Contract 81 Supply company,
which the letter heads stated had
factory in Brattleboro. The company
was Incorporated under the laws of YER
mont in 1895, with a capital stock of s175.-
900, for the manufacture of collins and
caskets. For certain amounts. payable in
weekly installments. the company agreed
to furnish it's patrons suitable burial after
death. Langley was taken to Boston and
was arraigned on seven counts of obtain
ing money aggregating $4,000 under false
pretense. He pleaded not guilty and was
COIuHllleu W jail III ueIault OF pail IN the
sum of $1,000. Subsequently he was SEN
fenced to four years in the state prison
at Charlestown.
Soon after the National Contract & Sup
ply company was incorporated the incor-
porators held their first meeting in the
Towns hotel in Bellows Falls. Early in
the year 1896 the company entered into
conditional agreement to purchase the
Centreville factory in Brattleboro, but 1t
never fulfilled its part of the agreement
and the property did not change hands.
George w. DeCosta, who came to Brat
tleboro to take charge of the factory,
claimed that he knew but little of Lang
ley, and when Langley was arrested De-
Costa announced that he contemplated
operating the factory on his own account.
as he was experienced in the manufacture
of collins and caskets.
A few days later two young men named
Heinz and HollinS came to Brattleboro
to see DeCosta. They engaged him as
superintendent and laid before the busi-
ness men proposition which was in sub
stance that II the business men would
subscribe $4,000 to $4,000 they would
start coffin business in the Centreville
factory with capital of $50. 900 to SOS, 900
and employ 30 or more hands. The young
men made such favorable impression that
the business men called public meeting
which was held in Festival hall Jan 2S
1897, to consider the proposition. A com
mittee was appointed to look into the
details of the business and the financial
standing and responsibility of the young
men, but nothing more was heard about
the coffin business.
Langley's confidence career covers a
period Of over 40 years. dating from soon
after the close of the war, for which he
organized the 7th Massachusetts Artillery
He has been interested in financial
schemes in this country and South
America. Since his release from the
Charlestown prison he has been arrested
in New York at least six times, but dodg-
ed conviction until Tuesday.