New-York tribune., 1909-11-05
KAUFMAN TAKEN
BIG FRAUDS CHARGED
Ne1c Yorker Traced to Berlin
by Scrap of Paper.

Berlin. Nov. 4-Martin Kaufman. Of
New York. was arrested tonight by for
mer United States Postoffice Inspector
Henry c. Hill on the charge OF commit
ting frauds involving $lO7.oeO in connection
with the Cotton Goods Converters' Com
pany. OF New York.
The case has many ramifcations Kauf-
mann Was for long time considered a
Trustworthy business man IN New York His
partner. NJ. A. Isaacs, had such implicit
confidence in Kaufmann's integrity that
according TO Hin, he induced a number OF
his friends TO take shares in the business.
one Of these was named Bloom. a Cincin-
nati merchant. who put in $27,O0O. Others
invested smaller sums.
The business proceeded satisfactorily for
six months. until Bloom asked a customer
10 settle an outstanding account, which the
customer declared was not due An inves-
ugauon of the company's accounts fol-
lowed and resulted in the discovery OF a
number Of falsified entries amounting TO
$lV'oD Kaufman in the mean time had
disappeared.
some OF the shareholders who were prac-
ucally ruined held Isaacs morally resDon
sihle. but he gave his check for the total
amount missing. The New York Credit
Mems Association took up the matter and
had haufmann indicted. Postofflce Inspec-
Tor hill was placed I'm charge Of the case.
II was known that Kaufman had sailed
Tor Europe. but no clew to his Whereabouts
could be found until his wife who Is I'm
business IN Lawrence. Mass, dropped a M
per containing a Photograph OF a hotel.
Nelther the name Of the hotel nor the name
OF the city was mentioned. but a window
was ma I'd, and above IL were the words
This is my ROOM" in Kaufmann's hand
writing.
After many difficulties the hotel was
round 10 be in Vienna, where Kaufman re-
slued under the name of Marvin Kent. He
Nad ordered that his mail should be sent 70
Z touilst ofiice In Berlin. He called there
thls evening, and Hil. who was accom-
panied by Arthur Hugemann, OF this citv
ana detective, accosted him.
Al hrst Kaufman stoutly. denied his
luehllty' bat later he admitted that he was
lhe man, and was arrested. He now awaits
eAuadition papers from the United States.
Just after the North German H.,
steamer Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse swung
our into the channel. after leaving her pier
IN Hoboken on Tuesday. Nay .. 1903 a
sihaA tug, commandeered by a lawyer and
two deputy United States marshaIs. set
aIter her down the river, in a hopeless
chase. The marshals were armed with 4
warrant for tie arrest Of Martin Kauf-
mann, who had .ucceeded IN eluding the
Efforts OF detectives to arrest him. and had
passed. unobserved. up the gangplank OF
the big liner
Kaufman was a member OF the then
bankrupt firm known as Bloom & Kauf-
mann, wholesale dealers IN cotton goods. at
No G. East 18th street. The firm had gone
into the hands Of receiver On March D.
l%9. and soon afterward Kaufman thought
f. best 10 disappear.
James y. Rosenberg. a lawyer repre-
senting the creditors. secured a warrant
from Judge Hough on the day that II was
learned Kaufman was TO sail for Europe
the warrant being issued on the ground
that kaufman was about 10 leave the
jurisdiction OF the court On May % RO-
sonberg asked Marshal Henkel 10 serve
the papers, hut Kaufman had already
gone away. When n was found that Kauf-
mann was already IN midstream the lawyer
and the marshal chartered tug. Offering
the captain a big price IL he should over
haul the liner.
After a chase lasting all the way TO
Sandy Hook. however. the outbound steam
er left the tug in the far distance and
Kaufman had escaped the clutches OF the
law for the time being.