Bisbee daily review., 1911-05-28
EMINENT DIVINE
 UNOERB|GCLOUD
Rev. Norman PIaSs About to Be Tried for Gross Fraud in Using the
 U. s. Mails


 BOSTON, Mass. ay 27.--Arrange rents have been practically comr
 Seted for the trial. next week. be. tore Judge Dodge in the United States district court in this city Of the Rev. Norman Plass. former pres dent, Charles H. BrooKs. treasurer, and John L. Traphagen. assiatant treasurer of the Redeemable Invest ment company. upon the charge of using the mails in a scheme 10 de- fraud. United States District Attor~ ey Asa P. French will have charge of the prosecution in person, ard the defendants will be represented by the Hon. Samuel J. Elder as senior counsel, John P. Feeney and Fran cis N. Carroll.
 The Redeemable Investment com pany, which is said to have been a get rich quick" concern with many victims, principally in the east, was organized about four years ago by the Rev. Mir. Plass Snd. several Bos' ton promoters and bustness men. In the literature which the company sent out hberally throughout the country it was stated that it con trolled. as "a holding company, min ing. farm and timber properties in the northwest of the United States and in British Columbia.
 Offices Are Rsided.
 After the federal authorities had Received several complaints from alleged victims of the company, an investigation was made and on oG tober l3, 1910, federal officials made a raid upon the elegantly furnished offices Of the concern, contiscatsd the books and papers of the com- pany and arrested Chas. H. Brooks, treasurer and manager. At that time the Rev. Mir. Plass was on Lis way 70 British Columbia and it was not until three weeks later that he re turned voluntarily and surrendered to the United States marshal. Upon his arrival in Boston he stated that he had resigned as president of the company two months before and at the preliminary hearing he pleadeo not guilty to the charge Of fraudu- Iently using the mails.
 The unusual interest in the case. not only in this city but throughout the country, is due to the fact that the principal defendent. the Rev. Norman Plass, is we'll known in widest circles as clergyman and educator. He was born at Claveracn, N. r., May 1. 1860, and came from Dutch stock. He studied at thc Au1- son (N. Y.l Acodemy; graduated from Williams college with the de- gree of A. B. in 1882 and with the degree of A. M. in 1885. In the following year he graduated from Yale Divinity school as a B. D. and obtained his degree of D. D. rom Williams college in 1904. In june, 1884, he married Jessie Charlotte Wheeler and two years later he was ordained to the Congregation minis try. He held important pastoratcs at Detroit. Mich, Lincoln, Neb., Medina and Cincinnati, O., and BarTingtcng, | R. I. He was state superintendent of the Anti-Saloon league Of Rhode lsI- and and New York from 1897 to 1893. and agent Of the Congregational Ma tionsI Home Mission society in 1900. Then he became professor of I'neism and Christian Evidence in Washburn College, Topeka, Kas., and in 1902 he was elected president of that col ege. a position which he hei until 1908, when he resigned and embarked in business, organizing the Redeem able Investment Go. Rev. Plass en ioyed quite a reputation as preach and educator. was for many years member of numerous scientific, re Hgious, educational and economic societies and won some distinction ss the author of several books and a number of sermons and addresses