New-York tribune., 1910-01-22
POOL STILL TOPIC
COMMITTEE 1T WORK.
Hooking Collapse Subject of
Investigation.

The manipulation which advanced the
market price of Columbus and Hooking
Coal and Iron common stock from 2lss last
February TO s2z a fortnight ago 1t now
appears TO be established was directed by
James r Keene, although it does not foi-
low and indeed. is probably not the fact,
n is said, that he was a member OF the
pool.
Henry y. Hochkiss. receiver for the firm
OF Isathrop, Haskins & Co. when asked
yesterday II the written pool agreement
could be seen. answered that he had no
copy OF ii. adding:
The trouble is that each member of the
pool signed a separate sheet bearing q copy
CT the agreement. All of these sheets To-
gether constituted the pool agreement ana
they were given TO Mr.. keene. 90 ho'
know where they are now. PROBABLY the
governing committee Of the STOCK hA-
change will tell. ] do not know whether
the separate sheets were signed pN the
members Of the pool as individuals or as
firms" The Stock Exchange standing com
nnittee on insolvencies was in session most
Of the day yesterday. and had before II
many Of the brokers involved IN the con
troversv growing out of the collapse OF the
pool and the failure OF three Stock EA-
change houses which has left the hrh oi
Roberts Hall & CTiss, the board rnelhpei
OF which, Hugh F. Criss was the speclalis'
in Columbus and Hooking, liable as the
purchaser st above 20 Of between 12,eo ano
x oo0 shares of the stock which Mr.. Criss
supposed he was buying as the agent OF
the pool.
statement from this committee when
is composed OF A NJ Cahoone. chairman
Francis i Eames and Ernest Groesbeck'
is expected to-day. Messrs. Eames ana
Groesbeck were members Of the special
committee which investigated the ROCK
Island scandal OF December q
CRIss AT STOCK EXCHANGE.
Mr Criss made his appearance at the
Stock Exchange soon after the opening yes
terday and was quickly surrounded by
number OF his friends. who formed body
guard, which had the effect Of keeping in
olIirers at distance They accompanied
him 10 the Office of Secretary Ely. 1t was
said later that Mr.. Criss had told his full
story 10 the secretary and had given him
the names OF all the houses for which he
had believed himself TO be acting on the
dsy OF the collapse, but which repudiated
the purchases of Columbus and Hooking
made by him for their several accounts.
Secretary Ely, il was learned. laid an in
junction upon Mr.. Criss when the latter
was departing to make no statement OF any
sort for publication. Mr Criss, it is un-
derstood, has not yet been examined by
the committee on insolvencies.
A representative of Mr.. Criss. when asked
If Mr.. Criss would try TO hold James r,
Keene responsible for his failure. answered
that he did not know what would be done
in that direction: that il was a matter for
the lawyers TO decide. He said Mr.. Criss
he lot
office IL connection with the collapse of the
Hooking pool and the Reputation of the
buying orders given him by Henry s Has
klns. the pools representative on the floor
of the exchange. and that there had been
very heated argument between the
two men. but he would not say what the
result Of the interview mad been. On being
told that Mr.. heene through his repre-
sentatives. had declared that he knew
nothing about the Columbus & Hooking
matter. Mr.. CRISIS representative said,
with q smile, Did you ever hear of Mr.
koene admitting that he was in anything?
August II. Vanderpoel, Of Thompson,
Tanderpoel & Freedman, counsel for MI
Criss, said that no decision had been
reached as TO whether not suit would be
brought against The members of the pool
All that can be said at present. he
added is that we are looking into the
case Perhaps later on We shall have a
statement TO make" Mr.. VanderpoeI said
that he did not think that an ancilary re-
ceiver for the firm of Roberts, Hall & Criss
would be appointed here. John r. Holmes.
Of Cincinnati, was appointed receiver on
Thursday by Judge Hunt, Of the Court of
Common Pleas in Cincinnati.
No estimates Of the liabilities and assets
Of the three failed firms were made public
NJ. Fiske & Co. expects 10 be able 10
issue a statement to-day, and Henry D.
Hotchkiss. receiver for Lathrop Haskins &
Co. will probably issue one Monday.
Accountants working long and late IN
the Offices Of all three firms, but the task
OF preparing statements Of condition is
tangled and difficult one.
RUMORS OF A sWINDLE.
There were widespread reports yesterday
that q man or set of men had worked
neat swindle on a number OF Stock Ex-
change houses in connection with the in
hation Of the price OF Columbus & Hook
ing Coal and Iron stock Several weeks
ago, according 10 the stories, men not
previously known TO these firms presented
themselves as customers, and as they put
up 25 point margins they were gladly ac-
cepted.
Their first operations were in high grade
stocks, but by and by each bought 200 or
800 shares OF Columbus & Hooking at
around So or 20. and little later held only
the latter. when they suspended their mar
ket activities and ceased 10 be callers al
their brokers Offices. When the crash camo
this week the brokers, looking for these
customers 10 demand additional margin
couldn't find them. The brokerage houses.
No GTp hair
names. were the owners Of it. and unless
they have closed il out meanwhile stand
TO lose or it about 20 points, or $40 share.
Similar tactics brought about the Eastern
Elevator scandal, as a result of which
Isaac b Newcombe was suspended for
twelve months. and another Stock Ex-
change member for one month I'm Deem