New-York tribune., 1907-08-06
FRAUD IN DEED NIPPED.
TWO HELD FOR HE4RING.
Bogus Transfer Of so, 900 Piece Of
Property Nearly Made.

Important disclosures are expected to-day
when John Bough lessee of the Dry DOCK hotel
at No ;;41 Bow cry, and Patrick Moore an en-
pIOye Of the Title Guarantee and Trust COM
panv. annear before MAGISTRATE Harris in the
Tombs police court in connection with the
fraudulent transfer Of piece of property valued
at S5oUp belonging to Charles Edgar Appleby
The hearing of the two men, who are uhdeT
81 500 bail each is expected 10 bring to pubic
attention the ease with which persons real
estate in New York may be appropriated. sold
mortgaged or transferred because OF inc lack
Of proper precautions in the Registers once
Mr. Appleby is a retired lawyer who made
a fortune. He is eighty-three years old. but
despite his wealth. is little heard "t or
known in this city. He is unmarried ana
lives quietly on his estate at Glen cove
Long Island He has two brothers living at
old Ridge. y. J. Mr. Applehy retired from
law practice about twenty years ago Most
Of his real estate holdings are between 14th
and 5otb streets west of Broadway. He has
concerned himself little with his vast property
interests but ne does keep in touch with cur
rent events. and il only because he reads
the newspapers carefully that the COnsumma-
tion Of a daring swnde uipped at lts be-
ginning. He surprised TO in the real
estate columns of July 2f the record Of a trans
Ter or one or ms tenement N'uS'S IN f-'t-Ne'''
avenue to Edith Stonebridge," in considera-
tion of 81 Mr.. Appeby has had similar trouble
with some of his property. and knew at once
that somebody had forged his signature to the
deed. as he had sold the house trans
ferred It.
He communicated at once with his attorneys.
Cannon & Cannon. who seeing that 4 forgery
had been perpetra ted placed the criminal pros
ecution of the in the hands of X. Henry
Rosenberg. whose investigation has revealed a
reuarka ble swindle and might lead to further
startling developments
The inquiry showed that the deed had been
marked to he recorded Tor expedition. which
means that the instrument Is 10 be delivered
from the Registers office in forty-eight hours
Usually this requires month; also. in nearly
every instance the name Of the lawyer VIII"
drew the document is given as the person tn
whom the deed is to be returned. In this case
the name Of Edward Corners. No. 3i1 Bowerv.
was written the document That Is the ad-
dress Of the Drydock Hotel. in whose manage
mont Councrs has been associated
Moore who has been for many years In tho
employ Of the Title Guarantee and Trust Com
7anv at the Registers office. had submitted the
deed for recording The attention Of Register
Gass called 10 the transaction and he sum
rnoned Moore. The latter declared that he had
no reason to believe that there had been any
thing Irregular with the deed. He said that
Rough had given him the document for eXpcdi-
. tious recording with the explanation for his
haste that he needed II to give on n bail bond
This explanation. il is thought. may lead to an
altogether new phase ~ the case. and on In
vest,Ration may conirr The long standing sus-
rfrion Of tho vvo~thle~-s.- of some bail bonds
Fortunately. the discovery Of IN" forgery was
made the day after Its preparation. for In an
other t,yenty-four hours the deed would have
haen returned and the jnrrlminating papers got
out of the wav Then All that would have been
necessary to raise mortgage on the property
or 70 sell u would have been 10 obtain cert-
fed copy Of the deed from the Register. which
would have been negotiable
Put Mr. Applobv's attorneys had the decd
,r7pounded and t. remains IN the hands Of tn"
authorities as n proof OF crime At the Regis
terss office IT was said that the person VIII"
signed tried to Initiate the signature Of Mr.
App'ehv although the latter says II does not
much resemble his signature. The deed was
dated back n
The name Of Frederick Anderson. \ notary
public appears on the deed az having taken the
acknowledgements. About five years ago. some
hodv whose identity was never discovered. took
p SD 600 m ri gage house next door 10 tn"
one now rrauduleut1y decided away. Tho mort
gage was set aside. Anderson has lately had
his office with lawyer, who represented one
IF the defendants in that litigation search
has been made for him. hut, according 10 Mr.
Rosen herg. his whereabouts still unknown
Nor have Mr. Appleby's represent atives been
able to find Edith Stonebridge. TO whom the
as Newark but no trace of her could he found
District Attorney Jerome advised the arrest Of
Moore and Bough. At the hearing before
Magistrate Harris to-day keogh VIII represent
the prosecutors office
The deciding away Of his Eleventh avenue
house has caused Mr.. Appleby 10 have an inves
tieation made of all his holdings to ascertain
whether or not other OF his properties have been
similarly transferred without his knowledge
Mr. Rosenberg yesterday bitterly criticised the
i,,, at fIa pic orr pfNp
As things stand. he said. there is nothing tn
prevent a person transferring to himself or an
other person almost any house in New York and
ly several iegitimatc transfers either sell or
mortgage the property. There is absolutely no
safeguard he said. Many bogus transfers might
now be on record. Said the lawyer. without the
owners being aware Of it. \ general nvestiga
ton Is said to he probable.
DUCKS SHOW BREEDING.