Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-17
300 PER CENT
BROKER DROPS
OUT OF SIGHT
MANY INVESTORS MOURN HIS
SUDDEN DEPARTURE
H. D. BROWN LEAVES FOR PLACE
UNKNOWN
Man Who Accepted Moneys with
Which to Purchase Stocks Leaves
Without Notice to His
Clients
TT AIRY D. BROWN, the corpulent,
III sleek 1900 per cent" broker who

HARRY D. BROWN, the corpulent,
III sleek 1900 per cent" broker who
~ maintained a suite of offices in
the Union Trust building and whose
doubtful dealings with Japanese and
American patrons were fully exposed by
The Herald March and March z, is
missing. Warrants for the arrest of
Brown are in the hands of detectives,
and several hundred former clients
are in mourning.
The police believe Brown cleaned UP
$4,000 before he left Los Angeles so
suddenly that his creditors were daZed.
Worthless checks reported to the police
Yesterday swelled the sum of Browns
alleged embezzlement by several thou
land dollars.
According to the complaint filed
MARCH 6, Joseph Rittigstein, jeweler
q the o. I. Johnson building, cashed
4 worthless check for $4,000. Last Mon
day Brown purchased $1,000 worth or
jewelry and paid for it with another
check equally worthless.
II. w. Ramsey, one of the proprie-
tors of the Arizona bar, holds checks
drawn by Brown for $41O0. Ramsey
says the check was returned TO MN
by the City and County bank, on which
payment was refused.
Dr. Nettie Hammond, who has offices
in the Union Trust building, says she
has lost considerable sum on sup
posed stock purchases she had made OF
Brown. She also says she led many ct
her friends to invest their money with
the 1900 per cent broker.
Clients Feel Bad
All day yesterday a procession OF
Clients filed through the corridors Or
the Union Trust building and gaZed
sadly into Browns offices, then in pcs
session of a constable.
The police have telegraphed run de-
scription of Brown to- San Francisco,
Bakersfield, Fresno Eel Paso. Yuma,
San Diego and Detroit. They say there
will be no difficulty in apprehending
Brown owing to his peculiar physical
characteristics. His apparent Weignt
is 225 pounds and his height but little
more than five feet.
Deputy District Attorney Donnell
Yesterday issued two complaints
against Brown. Immediately following
the issuance of the complaints war
rants for the arrest of the broker were
sent to the detective department. ana
Detectives Jones and Boyd were de-
tailed on the case
According to Rittigstein, one OF the
victims, Brown appeared at his place
of business March with a check for
$4,000 and asked the jeweler to cash IL.
''I demurred to cashing a check for
such a large amount" said RittigSte1n
to the deputy district attorney, but
he declared that he had ample FUNDS
in the bank, and because of 1t being
after banking hours was unable TO get
it honored at the bank. He talked so
earnestly and seemed TO pc sincere thdl
I cashed it..
Monday morning he appeared. and
after looking over my stock bought
number of articles of jewelry and ten
dered me a check for $1,000 as payment.
He insisted that he had plenty
money in the bank and said the paper
was as good as gold. I accepted the
check. and because the one given me
Saturday had not been placed in the
banl; I sent both checks to the bank,
only to find they were worthless"
Brown Disappears
Brown disappeared suddenly, and
despite the efforts of his many victims
to find him is still at leborty.
''Ie is thought to have left the city,
said Deputy District Attorney Donnell.
1.-The detectives have the warrants for
his arrest and are making every effort
to find him."
Last night a close watch was kept
on Browns house. The place was illu-
minated until a late hour, but no trace
of Brown was found.
Shortly after 10 o'clock Detectives
Jones and Boyd, together with Herald
representatives, visited the place. A
careful search of the house from cellar
to garret failed to reveal any trace y
the missing broker. He is thought l9r
have boarded train or boat for Sar
Diego and to be making every effor- y
get into Mexico.
Browns home at 347 Kingsley drive IS
furnished in the most lavish manner.
When the officers went into the house
at BAT Kingsley drive they found Mrs.
Brown and woman friend seated in
the outer reception room. Both Mrs.
Brown and her friend were exception
ally affected, and while Mrs. Brown
seemed to feel detected by the stories
concerning her husband, withal she
tried to pass it off.
Mrs. Brown, in answer to an 1nterro-
cation said she did not know where her
husband was, but believed he had gone
to San Diego.
"You know" she said, "I wouldn't
say anything that might injure my
husband, whom I dearly love. or
course I may have to stay here without
hearing from him, and as l have no
money it may entail hardships on me-
''I believe that Mr.. Brown will return
here, if he has to, with enough funds
to take care of all that is coming IN the
way of debts not paid.
II am surprised that Mr., Ramsey
particular friend of Harry's, did not
come out tonight. I fully expected he
would be with you. because know he
would stand by me.
''I rather feel that my husband is in
San Diego, and while said yesterday
that I saw him at 10 o'clock in the
morning, / find now that I was miss
taken; 1 know now he did not leave
until after 2 O'Clock"
Both women apparently were very
refined and were most beautifully
dressed and ready for the trip to San
Diego in an automobile which had been
secured for their journey south.
Because Mr.. Ramsey did not appear
at the house Mrs. Brown refused to
make the trip.
Three attachment suits were filed In
Justice Summerfield's court yesterday
by creditors of Brown.
The total of the attachments Is S259.
and the levy was made on the furnish
ings in Browns offices, 411-14 Union
Trust building. J. II. Corneau, a dep
uty constable, was placed in charge as
The creditors. who seek to recover IN