The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-14
COMPANY CHARGED
 WITH BIG FRAUDS
Federal Authorities Close Up
 Office in Boston
A CAPITAL OF S1O,0OO,OOO
Former College President Is Head of the Concern and Has the Indorse- ment of Secretary Ballinger
 and Others

Boston, October 13.-Federal authorities visited the extensive offices of the Re- deemable Investment company at S5 Devonshire street today and came away with Manager Charles H. Brook, the books of the company and several thou sand dollars in cash, all taken under a warrant charging the company with the use of the mails in a scheme to defraud.
 Officers tonight were hunting for Rev. Norman Plass, the president of the com pany, who had the indorsement of Sec retary of the Interior Richard A. Bal finger, the late Associate Justice David J. Brewer of United States supreme court, Senator Charles Curtis of Kansas and several local congressional ministers Rev. Mir Plass was seven years president of Washburn college at Topeka. Kan.
 The raid on the offices of the company in the Devonshire street building was of great interest to thousands of investors in New England and other sections.
 The Redeemable Investment company was organized three years ago as hold ing company with capital of Sl0.000, 900.
 Circulars found in the office say that the company promotes only those prop critics of which it is the owner or of which 1t has control, and that the stock is not listed, as the company's redemp- tion fund furnished a market for the stock on demand at a price in no case less than the price paid the company to- gether with at least s per cent for the time 1t has been issued. The circulars also say that the company controls the ipjp xybi0b ia Gai6 to own 75 mines of Jalisco, Santo Do- mingo, and a ranch of 7o0o0 acres in the same state; the Norman Plass Lum- Der company, which claims to own 356.- 900 GOO feet of timber In British Columbia; the Boston and Canada Wheat Land com pany, having 2o0o0 acres of land in Can ada, and the Okenogan Development com pany of Washington.
 John P. Feeney, counsel for the com pany. said tonight that the officers well comed the fullest investigation and ex- animation of the books and were con- fident of the outcome.
 The Rev. MT. Plass, the president of the company, is a graduate of Williams college and the Yale Divinity school. He has held pastorates at Detroit, Lin- coin, Neb., Medina, O., Cincinnati and Harrington. R. I. In 1897 he was state superintendent of the Rhode Island Anti Saloon league and later agent of the Con- gregational National Home Missionary society.
 The literature of the company contains inducements of MT. Plass from many prominent people, including Secretary Ballinger, whose letter reads as follows:
 'T have known Mir Norman Plass for many years as a gentleman of high char acter and integrity. He possesses a high degree of energy and ability in anything he undertakes. He Is worthy of confi- denee and respect and has had experi- ence in the west of the investigations of timber lands. am sure that he would not knowingly represent any matter un- truthfully or unfairly in business con nections.
 ''RICHARD A. BALLINGER,
 Secretary of the Interior
 MT Brooks was born in Council Bluffs, la, 39 years ago. According to the fed eral officials Brooks was arrested in St. Louis six years ago. tried and convicted in connection with the land frauds of the Rialto Investment company of St. Louis and sentenced to IS months in jail. but was pardoned by President Roosevelt on the ground that he had furnished valuable evidence for the government in the trial of United States Senator Burton.
 The officers of the Redeemable Invest ment company are as follows:
 President, Norman Plass, Boston; vice presidents, J. Austin Pharaoh, Worcester George A. Blauvelt, New York, and Wil- liam H. Bryan of New York; secretary. George B. Graf of Boston; treasurer J. T. Traphager, Boston. Manager Charles H. Brooks was arraigned late today before United States Commissioner Hayes and later released on giving s3000 bail. He was ordered to appear for a hearing on October 20.