Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-08
FORMER PASTOR
PROMOTED MINE
CORDILLERA STOCKHOLDERS
CLAIM FRAUD
C. w. MccRossAN is Now ON
TRIAL
Prospectus is Glowing Document
Stating That Fabulous Wealth
is in Sight in
Mexico

A score or more of stockholders or
the Cordillera Mining company, linz
tied. many of whom claim to have been
induced by alleged fraudulent repre-
sentations to invest money in the pur-
chase of that company's stock, were III
Judge Willis department of the Grim
tnal court Yesterday to listen to ana
take part as witnesses i'm the trial or
Charles Wesley McCrossan, formerly
a BaDtist minister and later n seller
of mining stock, not only for the COR
dillera company, but other concerns
McCrossan was arrested several
months ago at the close of meeting
of two factions among the stOckhold-
ers held in Blanchard hall. The com
plaint against him was sworn to by
II. c. McClung. q stockholder, who
saws he was induced to purchase a
comparatively small number of shares
on a prospectus dated August /, 1871
II is on the charge of issuing this al
legged false and fraudulent prospectus
that McCrossan is now being trled.
Jury Is Secured
Y'he forenoon was occupied in select
ing a Jury the twelve men chosen
being: r. G. Anderson, John X. Bar
rows. James Brookshire, +. G. Haskln,
d. II. Luther NJ. G.. Fordham, Warren
j. Richardson r. .. Sanderson, thfls-
tian Sebelins, William Simmonds, Or
ange d. Thompson and Lewis NrSley.
The prospectus, the basis OF the
charge against McCrossan, states that
a bonanza in mining discoveries had
been found i'm Mexico. The document,
purporting to be sent or given out
from McCrossan's residence, 619 Com
monwealth avenue, is addressed Dear
Friend" and its contents detail work
claimed TO have been done on the
property and that everything indicated
fabulous wealth.
The bonanza, according to the pros
pectus, is located seventeen miles east
of Magdalena, Sonora, Mexico, values
running from a few dollars a ton to
many hundreds. Where two canyons
on the mining propert-' meet, it is
claimed in the prospectus, there are
900 tons of ore showing on three
sides. averaging in many assays SlVO
a ton.
are many carloads and some weighing
at least half a ton, run high in silver
II is asserted.
Millions in Sight
".Where the canyon cuts the hanging
wall" continues the document, the
ore. which seems to be at least ten
feet solid, averages Hlbh lpil. Il IL y
feet away we have taken $1,000 worth
of ore out of a hole four feet long,
three feet wide and four feet deep.
eve do not hesitate to say that We
have at least S4. GOO, 600 worth of high
grade ore against the hanging wall
even if the ore never went below
where we know it goes, and that is
forty feet deep We also know that
we have at least 10000 tons OF ore
showing on three sides of the junction
of the two canyons. This would give
us IS. 600. 600. the ore i'm some places
averaging S40O a ton
Dividends To stockholders II was
added. should be 5000 month on
every 1000 shares.
Mine d Marvellous One
The prospectus closes as follows:
"I believe il the most mary elous mlhe
on earth today. and that it viii pay
millions ON millions in dividends. There
are 25.000 shares To be sold at 81 a
share" -..-.
was the first witness called to the
stand bv G. Ray Horton. deputy dis
trict attorney i'm charge Of the prose-
cution. He said he was az McCrossan 5
home in July and August, 1901 and
saw the literature complained of on
McCrossan's table
The trial will be renewed today