The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-10-14

Federal Authorities Swoop
Down Upon Office of the
Redeemable Investment Co.
and Arrest the Manager.

ID OS1ON. Oct. 13.-FederaI authori-
ID ties visited the office of the Re-
deemable Investment company AT
- DeNOnshire street today, and came
away with Manager Charles II. brooks,
The books of the company and several
Thousand dollars in cash, nil taken an
der a warrant charging the company
win the use of the mails Ina scheme
40 deffaud.
Officers tonight were hunting for
Rev. Norman PIass, president OF che
company, who has the alleged en-
dorsemenf, as an Individual. OF Seere-
tary of the Interior BaIlInger, the late
associate Justice brewer OF the United
ntutcs supreme courts senator Curtis
OF Kansas, and several local COngFega-
tif'n.t ministers.
sev Mr. Plass was for seven years
president OF Washburn college at To-
peka. Kan
The Redeemable Investment COM
pany was organized three years ago as
q holding company. with a capital Of
4lO,1OO,OOO. Circulars found in the Of
lice say that the company promotes
only those properties of which il is
the owner or OF which il has control
and that the stock is not listed as the
c0mpany's redemption fund furnished
a market for the stock on demand at
price nov less than the price paid
the company with at least six per cent
Interest Tor the time IL has been is
The circulars also say that the COM
pany controls tae SantO Domingo Min
Ing company which is said 10 own So
per cent of the mines OF JalissO, san
Domingo, and ranch OF 10000 acres
In the same country. the Norman
Flass Lumber company, which claims
10 own 556.000,000 feet OF timber in
British Columbia; the Boston & Cana
da Wheat Land company, having
10000 acres OF land in Canada, and the
Okonogan Development company Of
Washington.
John P. Feeney. counsel for the com
pany. said tonight that the officers
welcomed the fullest investigation.
Career OF Rev. PIasz.
Rev. Mr.. Plass, president OF the com
pany. is a graduate OF williams college
and the Yale Divinity school. He has
held pastOrates at Detroit, Lincoln,
Neb.. Medina. o. Cincinnati and Bar
ringtOn. r. i. In 1897 ne was state SUI
perintendent OF the Rhode Island Anti
Saloon league and later agent Of the
Congregational National Home Mis-
He became president OF Washburn
college. Topeka, in 1902. and resigned
two years ago.
The literature OF the company con-
tains the following alleged copy OF a
letter from Secretary Ballinger:
4 have known Mr. Norman Plass
for many years as gentleman OF high
character and integrity He possesses
a high degree OF energy and ability in
anything he undertakes. He is wOrthS
or confidence and respect and has had
experience In the west in the inVesti-
cation OF timber lands. ] am sure he
would not knowingly represent any
matter untruthfully or unfairly in
business connection"
(Signed)
RICHARD a. BALLINaER,
Secretary OF the Interior"
brooks In Trouble Before.
Mr.. Brooks was born IN Council
Bluffs, Ia. 80 years ago. According
10 the federal officials he was arrested
in ST. Louis six years ago. tried and
convicted in connection with the land
frauds OF the Rialto company OF St
Louis. and sentenced to IS months in
Jail. but was pardoned by President
Roosevelt on the ground he had fur
nshed valuable evidence for the gov
ernment in the trial of Senator Bur-
ton.
The officials OF the Redeemable In
vestment company are:
President, Norman Piass, Boston;
vice presidents. ]. Austin Parach WOr-
eester; George A. Nleavult, New York;
William II. Bryan. New York: secre-
tary, George B. Graft. Boston; treas
urer. J. l. Traphagent. Boston.
The directors include the above with