Evening journal., 1907-01-21
LOVERS TANGLE
UP FINANCIERS
Stolen Papers and Prison
Bars Figure In Real
Drama

MS story impressed the Judge that
when in the Tombs Police Court
Magistrate Baker had heard the second
chapter Of his narrative. Edward T.
circuit, the inventor from somervii,e
Mass, whose railway signals. it is said
win make collisions impossible, and
which have instlgated aibattle involving
millions Of capital for their possession
was not sent back to the Tombs. where
Tor Two days he had been a prisoner on
charge Of grand larceny
The plot thickQps," said Magistrate
| Baker, after he had listened for two
hours to one OF the most wonderful
tales heard I'm that court in many days.
And 1 shall not send this man bacl,
TO prison. Pending "a determination
of this action he Is released in the
custody Of his counsel"
The story which had so impressed IA.
Magistrate was one involving several
multimillionaires as the directors in ono
or the contending conporations,a charge
that they had, through the corporation
or its employees, hired a cousin Of the
victim OF the plot TO break into his
room and steal n certain valuable ma
per- that this cousins chief Incentive
was the refusal Of Orcutt to permit him
to marry the latter's sister. n false
and trumped-up charge whereby the
inventor was lodged In the TOmbs for
two days, while the papers were hlched.
and, IN short, all OF the elements and
many more which make fortunes for
the men who write melodrama while
you wait.
Several years ago Orcutt set himself
to the task OF improving RAILWAY
signals. He secured many patents,
and in 1900 he enlisted the sympathioe
OF certain Boston capitalists, who
formed what they called the syndicate
Rival syndieates at War.
They organized the International
Railroad Safety Appliance Company az
kittery, Me. II was a S4,0O0.000 corr
poratlon, shares 500 each. OF these
10000 shares 1000 were awarded to Or
cutb 1900 to Mr.. Merrill Smith and
his wife, wealthy investors Of hittery.
and the balance put into the treasury
to be voted by the directors Orcutt
obtained an option on the Smith hold
ings and enlisted several capitalists.
who organized the Railway Electric
Signal Company. That company Is
an interested party to the present pro-
ceedlngs. In its directorate are George
L. Lauder. Andrew Carnegie's nephew:
stephen 3. Elklns. Jr.; Robert w. Goe-
let and Richard Sheldon. champion
Yale shot-putter and all-around athlete
and who. as consulting electrical engi-
neer for this company. has been pros
emit at The police court proceedings to
look after its interests. Orcutt saws
that the Railway Electric Signal Com
pany took an option for six months on
all Of Orcutts interests, which meant
In turn. his own stock in the Interna-
tional Company Of Kittery, his option
on the Merrin Smith holdings. etc. ard
for which they promised him oRe-third
Of the capital stock OF the Railway
Electric Signal Company. and $50 a
week salary while demonstrating his
PATENTS and pending their taking mp
their option. Orcutt says they never
went any further They said they did
Orcutt says that things drifted on until
last year. when ne again induced Mer>
rll Smith and his wife Of Kftery to
give him second option. He came
to New York and went 10 live in East
Forty second street. He organized the
Automatic Safety Train Stop and Cab
Signal Company under the laws Of Ari-
zona and made It's capital $500 000 To
this new company Orehtt turned over
his new ootion on the Merrill Smith
holdings. his own. several new inven-
tions for which patents are pending
Att f..f..
his rivals realized that their 1900 option
was worthless. and knew OF the one nc
had gained from Merrill Smith last
April. on the other hand they claim
that their option % 1900 was not only
good. but that they had taken it up.
and that an his inventions now be-
/ longing to them under the terms OF
his original contracts.
Love and High Finance.
In the court Lawyer Robitzek exhi-
bited a copy Of the 1900 option. and said
Orcutt's cousin, George II. Mattox. hal
stolen the original from the formers
room I'm Forty-second street.
Prior 20 this point the hearing had
been taken up with bringing out the
facts given and largely through the ex-
animation OF Herbert p. Cook. Long
/ Island City man. who bought 5000 worth
Of stock On Orcutts Arizona Company.
and who. from subsequent investiga>
ton. decided that he had been swindled
and caused Orcutts arrest.
circuit and his counsel charged TO the
magistrate that Cook is really a dunn
my employed by the adverse interests.
ana that he is being used in the plot
20 keep Orcutt IN JAN until after next
July. when his second option expires
ON the Nirril Smith stocks.
After the hearing lawyer Robitzek
/ Orcutfs cousel gave further details of
tho plot 10 the reporters. He said
that Orcutts refusal to let his sister
marry George n. Mattax. of Boston.
made him a bitter enemy. The objec-
tion was Tor consanguinal and other
reasons. That his enemies knew OF
this, Orcutt alleges and they no sooner
had him immured IN the Tombs Wed.
nesday when Mattox was sent to Or
cults rooms. in East Forty second
street, The landlady let him in.
knowing he was her lodger's cousin.
Mattox, Orcutt alleges took a tin box
and went to his own room. in Brooklyn
Next day he returned the box 10 a Mr..
/ Grimes. knowing Grimes was a friend
OF the inventor. and bidding him deliver
the box 70 it's owner. When he OPEN