The Cairo bulletin., 1906-05-14
DEATH Or SP!ER IS
NO LONGER A
MYSTERY
POLICE CLAIM HE STOLE $4,000
e. FROM ROGERS AND THEN
SUlClDED.
IN HANDS OF BROKERS
Are Securities the Property of Rogers
Wife and Coroner Still Cling
to Belief in Burglary
Story.

New York, May To- While examina-
ton into the accounts of Charles l..
Sp,er, CT nfdentia man of H. II. Rog-
crs, who was found dead in his home
on Staten Island Monday indicates
that he was defaulter for at least
$1S0oo0, the shortage is expected to
grow az the search by expert account,
ants continues.
Spier represented the executive
head of the Standard Oh company IN
SO many companies of which he was
president, vice president or director
that 1t VIII be some days before all
his dealings can be gone into
II is argued that Spier became n
defauter because Of his losses In the
stock market and that when these
losses showed him that he had become
a thief he ended his life
In spite Of the statement that Spier
was a defaulter his wife and relatives
insist that he was not suicide but
that he was murdered by prowler
in his home.
Police Say Suicide.
Tho police arc positive in their
claim that Spier shot himself and at
remrted to "aise stage setting SO
that 1t would appear that he had been
murdered.
1t has been shown that Spier used
tho name Of his wife In his specuIa.
ms. 1t is not believed that Mrs.
:'rer was aware Of the uees to which
her name was being put.
Rogers recently gave to Spier two
blocks of securities of some traction
companies to deposit in the Central
Trust Company One amounted to
$4,000 and the other 10 $4,000. II
S alleged that instead of being in the
trust company vaults the securities
were found in the possession of
prominent stock brokerage house,
where they had been left by Spler as
collateral to cover recent heavy losses
in the stock market.
Exceeded His Authority,
80 far as We investigated" says II
II. Rogers. Jr. "recorcs show ire
gularitics which must be Traced be
fore a statement can be made of the
extent Spier exceeded his powers as
officer of various corporations.
1T Is probable hat certain securi.
ties apparently issued irregularly may
prove, in the outcome to have been
devoted to legitimate outlay for the
companies concerned.
"We have not yet heard from any
bank with which any of the stock or
certificates were hypothecated. Our
position is that we are investigating
and rying to learn where we stand
We find records of the issue of took
which require inquiry
There is evidence that some of the
stock was put out in the name of his
wife We cannot say that lit was i'm
properly done until we have gone
further into the matter. AT the present |
stage We cannot give'any approximate |
notion of the amount involved"
Wife Says Husband Was Murdered. |
JtoHitt in' SldltIItHi run IADStIS |
that apparent discrepancies had been |
discovered MIR. Spier. in an interview,
said:
No matter what disclosures have |
been made I have MT changed my |
opinion that my husband wa murder
ed" ifW
When asked whether she had signe1 |
documents for Spicr she replied:
My husband frequently brought mc
papers TO sign which did without
knowing what they were.
Coroner Cahill and the Coroner's
physician. Dr. George Ward. who per
formed the autopsy. and DR. Paterson.
the family physician, diecredit the sui
eide theory. They declare the wound
could not have been inflicted by Spier.
IL is their belief that the revolver
was either scharged accidently in
falling or that Spier did meet a bur-
glar. then both fired at the same time
and that the intruder was hit in the
which caused the blood spots on the
door frame.