New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-20
HELD FOR OLE SWINDLE
BROKER ARRESTED HERE.
L. j. Mosness Charged scith Larceny
of SIS, 900 an Mining Stock Sale.

Leonard J. Mosness, broker, Of No. % East
Gath street. arraigned before Magistrate
Crane in the Tombs Court yesterday by Lieu
tenant McConville, Cf the Wall Street Bureau
Of the Police Department, short affidavit
declaring that Mosness Will be charged with
completely in the larceny by means of a minine
stock swindle of $4,000. Mosness was held in
$4,000
The complainant, according to the police. is
James Spear. a banker. president of the St.
Lawrence County National Bank. OF Canton, st.
Lawrence County, y. Y. In 1904, Neon
vile says Mosness met Walter Mcbride. de-
scrIbed by the lieutenant as swindler known
TO the police of this city, Chicago and Buffalo
McConville says II was through Mosness that
Mcbride met Spear. Mcbride told Mosness he
was interested in selling a big block Of the
stock of the Gold Temple-Cripple Mining Com
pany. and offered him a % per cent commission
on all sales made through his introduction.
Mosness said last night he never got the COM
mission
Mcbride talked the proposition over with
Spear, and. going to Canton, told Spear that he
knew new lode had been found. He said he
knew an engineer who worked for the company
and was paid for his services with stock. Nc
Bride said the engineer knew nothing of the
new lode and was willing 10 sell his holdings.
Mosness went TO Ogdensburg. n. Y. and met
Spear and Mcbride. The latter had told Spear
the stock was selling the Philadelphia Con-
solidated Exchange at 81 60 to 81 share and
Mosness took with him the meeting in Og-
densburg the quotations the stock that
exchange for five days.
Mcbride McConville says. suggested to Spear
an arrangement by which he (McBridc) was to
get portion of the purchased stock but Spear
was TO get the biggest lump Mosness told
ended when it was decided all three should go
TO Philadelphia and see what the stock was do
ing.
The trio went TO Philadelphia. This was IN
February, 1906 There Mcbride introduced a
man called Alexander Halter as the register
and fiscal agent OF the Philadelphia Consolidated
Exchange. McConville says that Halter is a
well known swindler and that his picture is in
several Rogues' Galleries.
Halter said the company would not sell any
stock but was trying to buy all it could get.
Spear taken TO the Philadelphia CONSOLE
dated Exchange, where he met man whom
Mcbride called A A. Hayden, secretary of the
exchange. This man took Spear, Mosness and
Mcbride, together with Halter, TO the floor of
the exchange. where Spear saw wild scramble
Of traders begging for the stock. with sellers.
From Philadelphia the trio went TO Prescott.
Ontario where John DAILY was introduced 20
Spear as the engineer DAILY admitted that ne
held big block: said he didn't care much about
The stuff: used 10 think IL worth cents a share,
but hoped some day IL might advance to 3
cents. He finally sold IL for $4,000. After the
deal was closed Spear gave Mcbride $1,000 as
his commission.
Spear reckoned on selling his lump of stock
at profit of 100000. He arranged TO pay the
$4,000 IN two drafts on his own bank. sent
through the Chase National Bank. Of this city.
for collection.
The money on the drafts was traced TO the
account OF Herbert Walker a lawyer of this
city, who had the money deposited to his ac-
count in the Mutual Bank. Broadway and 33d
street Three days after the money had been
deposited he drew it out in three amounts. The
Chase National Bank honored the drafts.
Spear sent his certificates to Halter in Pha-
delphia, with instructions TO transfer them the
company's books, and then went to Florida He
never heard OF the certificates again While
Spear was in Florida men in the Chase
National Bank went the details of the
transfer of the $4,000 from Spear to the law
yer, and decided that IL was q shady transac-
ton, according to McConville The matter was
referred TO James D. w. King, head of the New
York Information Bureau at No 80 Wall street
and King called McConville into the case. Such
names as Mcbride" and Halter led the police
70 think the banker bad been swindled. and an
investigation showed that every one concerned
had disappeared
The matter was referred TO District Attorney
Jerome and Assistant District Attorney Caravan
took II up. Mosness. # said, was in Mex
leo.
McConville Mosness one day last week
ahe Kept MN under surveillance McConville
said last night that Mcbride Halter and sgd"
sturtevant tried TO swindle French Canadian
IN Montreal out Of a large amount of money
ABOUT the time Of the Spear transaction, but
failed.
Mosness said that, although he promised
q ~ he rot
Tor his part in the Spear transaction.