The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-05-04

by the name of A. l.. Rich, was re-
ported to have purchased the control
ing interest in the City National banl,
of this city. The papers are now car
rying the story that Rich is a fugi
tive and that he forged $4,000 worth
of Woods county bonds. 1t will be re-
membered that when he purchased the
stock of the local bank that the price
was reported to have been 85 cents
on the dollar. The News printed the
story and some of the parties inter
ested in the bank became so incensed
because the price was made public
that they withdrew their patronage
from the paper for daring to print
the news.
OFFICIALS STATEMENTS.
Herman 8. Kaufman, cashier of the
City National bank, said last night
that at one time A. L. Rich, who is
accused of forging bonds, bought up a
large part of the bank stock and had
controlling interest in the bank, but
that later he sold great deal of it
and, although he has quite a large
amount of stock left, he does not own
the controlling part. Mr.. Kaufman
further stated that Mr.. Rich had never
been on any board since he has had
an interest in the bank, nor was he
ever an officer of the bank, hut as
was just stated, was a stocl1holder
only.
President Clark states that Rich is
not and has not been officially con
nected with the City National bank
aid it is not involved by Rich's deals.
MAY BE IN HONDURAS.
It is believed Rich is now on his
way to Honduras, having eluded pur-
suers by jumping from the window of
railroad car at Dayton, Ohio.
Brokers who were associated with
Rich in several large business deals
have taken up $65,OoO worth of the
spurious bonds that were pledged with
the banks as collateral for loans, and
secured those institutions against
loss.
1t is also known that Rich person
Iy placed 5000 worth of the bonds
with other banks, but the names of
the institutions could not be learned
today Rich's defalcations became
known to his business associates last
Monday, but they kept the secret
close
Last February P S. Briggs e Co.,
G. H. Wooley and A. l.. Rich Of Gin.
cinnati, became engaged in a deal to
take over the gas, water and electric
plant of Beloit, Wis. While the bro
kers of Beloit engaged in the negoti.
ations Mrs. Rich arrived there with
$65,000 of the forged bonds that her
husband used in financing his part of
the deal. The Queen City bank of
Cincinnati loaned the associates $685.
600, taking Mr.. Briggs notes and the
forged bonds as security.
HOW DISCOVERED.
Their spurious character w8s dis.
covered by Mr.. Briggs Monday when
he offered $4,000 worth at the Fifth
National bank as collateral Presi-
dent Hinch of the bank, who had seen
the genuine bonds, at once pronounce
ed them worthless. The next morn
ing Briggs had Rich in his office and
confronted him with the evidence of
ahe forgery. Rich denied any guilt
Briggs, it is said, seized him by the
throat and forced him to sign state
ment releasing his associates of any
culpab bility in connection with the
handling of the spurious paper. Rich
did so, and also promised to straight
On out the matter by taking up tha
forged bonds.
Briggs and Attorney Charles Shaw
saw Rich enter the Union Central de
pot at Cincinnati Tuesday evening
and purchase a ticket to Buffalo They
secured tickets for the same place.
They followed to have him arrested
af he tried to leave the country. When
they entered the car they found Rich
had engaged a stateroom and locked
himself in When the train reached
Springfield, Ohio, they found Rich had
escaped through the window of his
stateroom. Rich returned to CIncin-
pati that night and took train foa
New Orleans.
WOMAN IN THE CASE
The Cincinnati Enquirer says:
A female "Jim the Penman" enters
largely into the A. l.. Rich bond forg-
cry case.
That sensational arrest will take
place seems assured.
Further information is that Rich is
IN or near Cincinnati, and will be ar
rested today or tomorrow.
The fact seems also assured that
A. l.. Rich & Co. have assets over
twice the amount of Rich's defalca-
tions or forgeries.
The guilt Of the work on the bond
forgeries so far as the Wood county,
(Ohio) bonds are concerned. is be-
Ieved to lie heavily upon the shoul-
ders OF woman, and that woman win
be arrested. Such was the intention
last night.
Another DEVELOPMENT was that A. l.