New-York tribune., 1911-02-16
DENIES L0VEYS STORY
Keene's Broker Says Brothers
Are Trying to Injure Firm.
WILL OFFER PROOF LATER
Suits Arising from Collapse OF
Hooking Will Bring Back
Mr.. Keene in April.

since lanes r. Keene. like Dorothy Ar
mold. is still missing, Edward Popper' or
popner g. Sternbach, his personal brokers'
had 10 hear the brunt yesterday OF the pub
lication I'm The Tribune OF the testimony OF
William Lovey. the brokers former assist
ant cashier Mr.. Pepper sighed over the
renewed publicity given to the controversy
resulting from the collapse OF the Hook
ing pools. but he prepared statement at
lacking the credibility OF the witness who
had con;radicted both his testimony and
that of James r. Keene concerning the
sales OF Hooking stock which caused the
bankruptcy of three Stock Exchange firms
Arthur Lovey," said he. was discharged
from the firm of Pepper & Sternbach for
cause in December. His brother William
Lovey. subsequently left our employ on ac-
count Of his brothers discharge Since that
time, as / am informed, they have been
diligent in their efforts to infct as much
injury upon the firm as their malice might
suggest and opportunity afford.
"The statement that efforts on the part
Of the firm to induce the Loveys or any one
else to testify otherwise than as the facts
warranted is absolutely false and has been
denied under oath in the proceedings which
have been had. II is not new for dis
charged employees, actuated by malice, to
recollect things which never occurred
With regard to The Trbune's article, Mr..
Pepper had this to say:
The article i'm the main is rehash OF
the testimony taken before commissioner
Alexander and Referee Dexter nearly
year ago. So far as the books Of Pepper
& Sternbach are concerned, they have been
examined and re-examined many times, and
all the facts relating TO the entries, the
method in which the books were kept and
the transactions relating to the purchase
and sale Of Columbus Hooking cd. and
Iron Company stock have been laid bare to
the last detail for upward Of year.
That Pepper & Sternbach were Mr..
keene's brokers appeared beyond question:;
that they sold Columbus and Hooking Coal
and Iron Company stock for their own ac-
count on the 18th and 18th of January. 1910,
has been the subject Of very voluminous
testimony by myself. members OF the firm,
Mr.. keene and numerous other witnesses.
The only new fact bearing thereon which
appeared In the article is the statement OF
Arthur Lovey and his brother, William, who
have testified that the sales made on the
18th were through orders of Mr.. Keene. Ar
thur Lovey testified year ago and failed
TO recollect any such transaction.
Il am advised that IL is not wise to try
issues in the newspapers AT the proper
time We stand ready to establish that the
statement made by the Loveys that the
sales of Columbus and Hooking Coal and
Iron Company stock on the 18th and 18th of
January were through orders received from
MIR. keene Is not the fact, but that such
sales were for the protection OF Pepper &c
Sternbach"
Mr.. Keene. whose aversion to public in
QUESTION is proverb, went to Europe to
rest shortly after giving his testimony in
A half-dozen suits for an accounting as
manager of the Hooking pools and for
damages have been filed against him in the
Supreme Court by J. VI. Ffske Co. and
I.athrop, Haskins e. Co., two Of the bro
kerage firms wrecked by the collapse OF
Hooking stock. Four OF these suits, two
throp, Haskns g. Co. are on the Supreme
Court calendar for April. Mr.. keenes
presence is expected at the time. since he
has been served in all OF them.
Ralph Wolff attorney for Irving l.. Ernst,
receiver of Fiske & Co, said yesterday that
his clients were resting on their oars pend
ing the trial OF their suits. Abram !. Elkus.
attorney for Henry ID. Hotchkiss. trustee
for the creditors of Lathrop, Haskins &
Co.. said that no plan of action with re-
gard TO the contradiction in testimony had
been decided upon. but that some action
would be taken. he thought, very soon.
Miss Kelly. telephone operator for Pop
per & Sternbach, who figured in Loveys
testimony as the direct recipient OF Mr..
Keene's alleged orders TO sell his Hooking
holdings on January 19, 1910, called a Ref
cree Dexters office, at No. Il Broadway,
yesterday morning, and signed the tesi-
mony she gave in the Lathrop- Haskins
hearings. Her testimony was corroborative
of that OF her employer. Mr.. Pepper. Mr.
Pepper also apeared at the referees office
and said that he would sign his testimony
this afternoon. The hearnss have been ad-
journed until February q at $50 p. m.