New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-29
SAY THEY GOT $4,000
p. 0. Inspectors Raid American
Tanning Co. and BROKERS.
ARREST FOUR PRINCIPALS
Tell How Poughkeepsie Men En-
tertained Brother of Pea
nuts" Robinson.

Another get-rich-quick concern. the
American Tanning Company. which, ac-
cording to Postoffice inspectors had mulct-
ed credulous investors of $4,000 IN a COM
paratvely short time. was raidcd yester-
day by Inspectors Kncaid and Booth. The
principals of the enterprise were arrested
in their offices in the Produce Exchange
Annex, and stacks Of literature. sucker
lists, books and other documents were
seized as evidence.
The men arrested were H. r. Raymond
secretary of Henry n Roach & CO.. a
brokerage firm alleged to have 'een formed
for the purpose of unloading the stock OF
the tanning company on the public; Adam
Hoch, chemist. with a laboratory at No
1853 Lafayette street, who had been adver-
tsed as the inventor of marvellous tan
ming process. and r. G. Garfield and g.
Herbert Smith. who publicly figured as the
principals of the American Tanning Com
pany They were arraigned before United
States Commissioner Gilchrist ana held in
bail Hoch had TO furnish $lO,M0, Raymond
s7,5oo. and Garfield and Smith $3.50 each
The Postofice inspectors regard Ray
mond as the biggest catch they have made
since the Burr raid. They said his real
name was +. S. Robinson. and that he was
brother of the notorious Peanuts kob-
inson crook who caused much trouble
TO the local police and the federal authorl-
ties until he was finally landed in the peni-
Tertiary at stilwell, MINI.
The American Tanning Company was or
ganized in May, 1903, with capital STOCK
of 81 ,5oo.Ooo composed Of 10000 shares at
$40 each. The company began to advertise
that il owned a splendidly equipped plant
at Newark, n. j., and that it had &C
quired a special tanning process, known as
the Hoch process, which pro missed ire
mendous savings in the preparation ~
leather. The Postohicc inspectors asserted
that the company did not own the Newark
plant. but rented II AZ Sl,o"t a month from
Julius Beebe & CO., of Boston.
To unload the stock safely the promoters
refrained from selling It directly. hut used
the brokerage firm" of Henry y. Roach \
Co as their selling agents. This firm was
created for the purpose OF aiding the fraud
ulent enterprise of the gang, accoInIHs
10 the PostofTce inspectors. Icnr! y.
Roach was we'll known broker
who conducted general brokerage ana
banking business at No 373 Fifth avenue
When he died, I'm October, l+N, H. w.
Parker, an associate of Raymond, organ
ICED the firm OF H. y. Roach & CO., at inc
same address, and the reputation estaD-
Iished by the dead man was the principdI
asset OF the new firm. so closely resembling
the name OF the old one. Parker was pres
ident and Raymond secretary and the hrm
began 10 sell lot Of worthless stock. Ihey
sold stock Of the Great Northern Coal
Company. the Kent coal COMPANY the
Northern Coal Company and the Crown
Coal Company, and their final enterprise
WAS the American Tanning Company.
Parker. who was also known ad Herbert
Krapp and ~ u. DraytOn. lit out To Eu-
rome when things began 10 look siSplclouS.
At one time Raymond desired 20 create
the impression that the company Wahlcd
70 build new and larger plant. lie adj
vertised himself as looking for a good
location for the new factory, nj inaH!
LET If be known that Poughkeepsie had
struck his fancy. II was said That the
Chamber OF Commerce Of that city as
eiqrod members 20 show Raymond all the
desirable sites around town, and hnaIly
entertained him az "A banquet 10 impress
him favorabIy with the advantages OF '"o
nov Mace. This advertising was SAID 10
have brought hundreds Of purchasers Tor
tho stock Of the American Tanning CON-
panV