The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-02
GOT $S,Ooo,0OO BY SWINDLE.
en- ARIES HITNEY NORTON AR
RESTED ~ cHGAGO.
Pest once inspectors Charge That lie ToOk
MILLIONS In stocks From Their owners
on Pretenee Of selling rheR,a nc . Broker
-PIunder Found In His Possession.

VhNtNN' W ~ hbgss - ~ pHNN
-PIunder Found In sails Possession.
CHIcA0o Nov. Charles Whitney Nor
ton, alleged to be one OF the biggest swind-
lers the country has seen. was arrested in
Chicago to-day.
He is accused by the United States postal
authorities OF obtaining mining stool and
other securities valued at 100000 by false
pretences.
Several suit cases filed with stocks sup
posed to be stolen and other documents
were recovered by Post Office Inspector
Stuart and his assistant.
Norton, who is said to have been in trouble
before on similar charges, was the pro-
prietor OF q concern which he called the
American Wholesale Brokerage Company
at Elmira. N. Y. He disappeared from
that city two years ago. after getting the
stocks and bonds, it is charged. Norton,
il ia alleged. worked his scheme by getting
in touch with mining corporations in Arr
zona. Nevada. Oregon. Washing ton and
other States. both East and West.
He sent out letters SAYING he had GUS
toners in London for mining stOck and in
this way induced holders Of securities to
send the paper TO him. assigned either
in blank or directly to him.
On receiving a batch Of stock from a
victim Norton, it is said, would reply
saying thai sixty days OF more would be
necessary for him to get the proceeds from
his London customer.
When things got too warm for Norton in
Elmira he quit, the authorities say, send
ing out the announcement that he was
moving his office to London 30 as to be
nearer his clients.
In reality Norton Is said to have gone to
Troy. N. Y, from there TO Toledo and thence
to Detroit. In all of these places he is
alleged 70 have worked the same scheme
in quieter fashion.
Norton came TO Chicago last January.
In the meantime it is charged hat he had
succeeded in disposing of a considerable
part of his stocks by trading them for lands
in Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama and other
States. Deeds for the lands, comprising
thousands of acres, were in the vault of a
lawyers Office at "a Washington street. 1t
is not charged that this attorney knew any
I1lnR OF lne COHlcnlh VI TIC NChct IC
wal holding them for a debt owed by Nor
ton.
Norton held SC, 900 shares OF Chicago Tin
Company stock, which an authority present
at the examination said vas Of considerable
value.
Norton uses Louis W. Leonard as an alias
in Chicago, getting his mail at the Palmer
House. For some time, il is charged, he
has been attempting to dispose OF mining
stock through Chicago brokers.
Complaint reached the Chicago police
many weeks ago. The police we're taken
INTO the confidence OF the post Office in
spectors and a trap was laid to catch
Norton. The detectives succeeded in get
ting into communication with Norton and
opened negotiations with him. He agreed
to take some OF his mining stocks to the
! supposed brokers for inve stigation, In this
way he was caught.
inspectors Stuar and Sharon, as we'll "a
the police detectives say. they have investi-
gated the matter thoroughly and have
failed TO discover a single Instance in which
Norton paid for the stocks he had under
pretence of having customers who would
purchase them.
at appears to be one OF the biggest SWIM
dies Of the age" said Col. Stuart.
In the mass Of securities unearthed by
the police we're mortgages on the lands
acquired by Norton amounting to many
thousands OF dollars.
Norton is about so years old, married
and has a son employed in a Chicago COM
mercial house.