The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-11-25
BIG Men NEARLY
CAUGHT IN trap.
Alleged SWindlers Under Ar.
rest at Pittsburg.
ABOUT READY TO UNLOAD.

While the Men Are Believed to Have
Secured Little if Any Money They
Had Completed Arrangements for
springing Deal That Would Have
Torn Things Wide Open in Finan.
cial Circles.
Pittsburg, Nov. 2.-The police au.
thorities here have made two other
arrests in the case of j. Montefore
Meyers, said to be from Australia,
who was taken into custody here last
Saturday and held for the New York
police on an alleged charge of grand
larceny. Shortly after Meyers left
this city in charge of a detective for
New York the local police arrested w.
A. Fitzpatrick in bank building
where he was talking over an oil deal
with a business man. John A. Fitz-
patrick, brother, was also arrested
as he stepped from a train in this
city. E
The Fitzpatrick brothers are said to
be from Ionia, N. c., and are alleged
to be confederates of Meyers.
The superintendent of police of this
city arrested the Fitzpatrick on in
formation furnished by Richard Brins-
ley Sheridan, a wealthy coal operator
of Wilkesbarre, Pa, and John A. Gar
man of the same place, chief counsel
for Colonel ]. M. Guffey, the million
aire oil operator of Pittsburg.
According to the police T. N. Barns
dali, also millionaire. oil operator of
this city, had been interested in the
several deals by Meyers.
The case has developed into a SEN
sation here. Meyers and the Fitzpat-
ricks are alleged to have been pro-
noting a deal to buy options on coal
and oil lands. Meyers, it is said, rep
resented that he controlled several
million dollars of the Rothschilds.
Meyers, who has an engaging person
ality, had little trouble in interesting
Mr.. Sheridan, Colonel Guffey and Mr..
Barnsdall. Just how many more
wealthy Pittsburgers were interested
the police refused to say at this time
Superintendent McQuaide said:
Were About Ready to Unload.
"From all I can learn Meyers and
his confederates secured very little, if
any, money, but they were just about
ready to unload swindle that would
have torn things wide open in finan-
cial circles. I am not at liberty now
to divulge any names in connection
with the affair, but may do so in a
day or two"
Referring to Meyers and his deal
Mr.. Sheridan said:
meyers came to see me in Wilkes
barre some time ago. I have not seen
John A. Fitzpatrick in connection with
this transaction, but have known him
for some years, and a letter from him
introduced Meyers to me. Meyers said
that he represented the Rothschilds
and thought Wilkesbarre would be an
excellent place to build factories and
mills on account of it's centiguity to
the fuel fields.
"He suggested that before starting
to build it would be a good idea to
get options on coal lands to insure a
fuel supply. He insisted that local
capital support the project, as some
favors might be wanted from the leg.
1slature.
II will confess that Meyers won my
complete confidence, which was
strengthened when I learned that he
had interested Colonel Guffey. I in.
troduced him to a number of men who
I thought might be of service to the
project and spent considerable money
in boosting the thing.
ITO make the thing look still better
Meyers brought Colonel Guffey to
Wilkesbarre. do not know what
caused it, but Garman and myself
grew suspicious and, as Meyers said
he was from New York, we asked the
police there about him. It was then
his record in that city was uncovered
and his arrest on a charge of grand