The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-08-09
More Forgery charges.

Benedict Radius was given anothe
t hearing by Justice Risdon at the Cour
House on Wednesday on charges of for
gerry.
This man 1t will be remembered wa
held week before last on charges of for
gerry and for receiving money under falls
pretences. He had accepted money from
Mrs. Rebecca Gessen to have two deed
recorded at the County Clerks Office, bu
: instead Of 80 doing he wrote a certificate
OF record on the deeds and forged former
County Clerk Sooy's name thereto. A
number of similar forgeries have since
come to light. all on deeds for property in
/ Chatsworth.
The first case taken up against Radius
last Wednesday was for forging a paper
purporting to be q discharge piece for a
mortgage of $1100 held by A. A. Ander-
son of Mount Holly on property in Chats
worth. Anderson sold tract of land
there to company in New York and got
a mortgage for $4,000 as part payment.
Since then the mortgage has been reduced
to $1100.
RADIUS, as secretary of the Independent
City Building Company of New York,
transacted most of the business of that
concern.
Jacob Bellies, of New York, vice presi-
dent of the building company, said Radius
handled all the money of the company.
At meeting of the board of directors,
held some months ago, RADIUS brought
up the question of paying off the Ander-
son mortgage. He represented that 1t was
for 81, 800, and that If the money could be
raised Anderson would throw off $500.
II gave RADIUS 5000 In cash and a
note for $500 which had been drawn
by a man named Schlivick, the lat
ter being secured by the Indepen-
dent Company. against which the note is
still held by Schlivick. 1t is claimed that
Radius got the money on the note and kept
the 81, 400 At a meeting which RADIUS
attended he said he had satisfied that
mortgage and showed the forged release
as proof of payment. Sitkoff told RADIUS
to send the release to Mount Holly to
have 1t discharged of record. In reply to
letter sent to County Clerk Harry L.
Knight. 1t was learned that the release
had not been recorded"
County Clerk Knight testified to having
received the mortgage release, purporting
to having been signed by Anderson. 1--WE |
couldn't find the name of the Master In |
Chancery used on the document, said the !
clerk, land found that there was no such |
person In the state. We then notified |
Assistant Prosecutor Peacock. and we had |
nothing further to do with 1t.
The forged paper is dated February 10,
1910. After the facts contained in the
charge had been clearly stated, and RADIUS
warned by the assistant Prosecutor that
anything he said would be used against |
him, Radius said he did not wish to go
on the witness stand.
Justice Risdon remanded the prisoner
to jail.
The next case against Radius was that
OF Hyman Levy, stakeholder In the In
dependent Company. Levy bought four
lots from the Prosperity Company when
1t started In business. He got the deeds
from man by the name of Salem. A
year later he gave the deeds and $3.50 to
Radius to haye them recorded, and 1t was
a year before he got them back again,
RADIUS saying they had been recorded.
Levy kept the deeds in his pocket, until
all deeds were asked for at the outbreak
Of disturbance in the company. Levy
mailed the deeds himself. and In answer
to letter from County Clerk Knight, he
was asked to ascertain the standing of
Radius, and then found that the latter was
under arrest.
County Clerk Knight testified to hav-
ing received the deed from Levy, who
was informed that 1t was not true GER
tifcate of record; that the deed had never
been recorded here, and that the sigma
ture of former County Clerk Watson T.
Sooy was forgery.
V. Claude Palmer moved for the dis
charge of his client on the ground that no
testimony had been shown to connect the
defendant with having committed for
gerry; that the state had no Jurisdiction,
and that If any crime had been commit
ted at all, 1t was committed In New York.
James M. Davis, associate counsel for
the state, said that after having been CIV
en- the deeds and money Radius said they
had been recorded, which was denied by
the County Clerk. The strongest circum-
stantial evidence that RADIUS perpetrated
the fraud is the fact that he had the forged
papers In his possession. When fraud
is committed outside the state and brought
Into state whose laws are violated, the
man is guilty. This deed was brought
into this state innocently ON inquiry as to
Its record, and 1t made it crime of which
this state can take cognizance. The law
says that where the effect takes place that
is where the crime is committed.
Radius was also held on this charge,
making three offences against him.
While in New York. last week, Assist
ant Prosecutor Peacock said that the In.
dependent Company was sued on a claim
for $14, and that they had no money to
pay 1t with. being about ruined by the az
lions of Radius. 1t is also alleged by |
Peacock that Radius stole $500 that was
given him to pay claim for lumber held |
by A. Imhoff, of Hsmmonton. 1t was at |
the latter place that Radius was arrested. |
He went there to pay $500 on this claim |
to avoid trouble there. Learning
that he was to go to Hammonton, the au-
thorities arranged to have him taken into |
custody.
While in New York Mr.. Peacock also |
learned from Inspector of Detectives John
II. Russell. that he had a warrant for the |
arrest of Radius. charging him with steal
ing about $1,000 from the safe of the In
dependent Company. A detainer will be
lodged against Radius. and he will be re-
turned to New York after the authorities
Of this state are through with him.
Seaside Park.
A fire company will be organized at
once, now there is a building In which to
house the apparatus. One side of the
Borough Hall was built with this end in
view. There is plenty of material for an
active fire company.
Ill L L. Il