The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-05-29
FRAUD THE CHARGE
AGAINST A PASTOR
Rev. Plass to Be Arraigned
in Federal Court, at Bos-
ton, This Week.
fNational News Association)

Boston, Mass. May 29.-Arrange-
ments have been practically completed
for the trial next week, before Judge
Dodge in the United States district
court in this city of the Rev. Norman
Plass, former president, Charles II.
Brooks, treasurer, and John L. Trap
hagen, assistant treasurer of the Re-
deemable Investment company, upon
the charge of using the mails in
scheme to defraud. United States dis
trict attorney Asa p. French will have
charge of the prosecution In person,
and the defendants will be represent
ed by the Hon. Samuel J. Elder as
senior counsel. John P. Feeney and
Francis NJ. 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. Mr.. Plass and several Boston
promoters and business men. In the
literature which the company sent out
literally throughout the country it
was stated that it controlled, as a
holding company, mining, farm. and
timber properties in the Northwest of
the United States and British Colum-
| bia.
After the federal authorities had re-
ceived several complaints from alleg-
ed victims of the company, an investi-
cation was made and on October 10,
1910, federal officials made a raid
upon the elegantly furnished offices of
the concern, cOnfiscataed the books
and papers of the company and ar
rested Chas. Nj. Brooks, treasurer and
manager. At that time the Rev. Mr..
Plass was on his way to British Co
lumbia, and it was not until three
weeks later that he returned vOiuntar.
lily and surrendered to the U. S. mar
shall. Upon his arrival in Boston he
stated that he had resigned as presi
dent Of the company two months be-
fore and at the preliminary hearing he
pleaded not guilty to the charge OF
| fraudulently using the mails.
| The unusual interest in this case
not only in this city but throughout
the country, is due to the fact that the
principal defendant, the Rev. Norman
cles as a clergyman and educator. He
was born at Claverach, n. Y. May 4
1860, and came from Dutch stock. He
stupdied at the Hudson On. " Acad
envy; graduated from Williams Col
lege with the degree of A. B. in 1SS:
and with the degree of A. NJ. in 1885
In the following year he graduated
from Yale Divinity school as b. d
and obtained his degree of d. D., from
Williams college in 1904. In June
1854, he married Jessie Charlotte
Wheeler and two years later he was
ordained to the Congregational min
istry. II held important pastorates al
Detroit, Mich, Lincoln, Neb., Medina
and Cincinnati, o., and harrington, r
I. He was state superintendent of the
Anti-Saloon league of Rhode island
and New York from 1897 to 1899, ane
agent of the Congregational Nationa
Home Missionary society in 1900
Then he became professor of Theisn
and Christian Evidence at WashburI
College, Topeka, Kas., and in 1902 HI
was elected president Of that college
a position which he held until 1908
when he resigned and embarked il
business, organizing the Redeemable
Investment company. Rev. Plass en-
joyed quite reputation as preacher
and educator, was for many years {
member of numerous scientific, relig
ious, educational and economic SO
cieties and won some distinction al
the author of several books and
number of sermons and addresses.