New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-12
FAKE AUCTIONS CHARGED
Two Proprietors Held for
Using "CapperS" to Bid.
LIABLE TO IMPRISONMENT
"Schills" Make Affidavits of
How They Boosted Prices
by Secret Code.

Jacques Ross and Jacob II. Spandau,
proprietors OF auction rooms, were ar
raigned before Magistrate Froschi In the
Tombs police court yesterday on evidence
sent to the District Attorneys Office by
the Commissioner Of Accounts. They are
charged with conducting auction sales
at which false sales were made 10 cap
pers" IN the pay of the house. They were
held In 500 bail each for further cNamina-
ton next Monday.
Rosss rooms are at No. 1921 Broadway
and AT No I" West 42d street. Spandau.s
place is at No. 1lJ7 Broadway. The penal
" for the offence with which the two men
are charged is thirty days In prison or a
fine of 500. or both. Both men are said
to have turned In their auctiouccr's IL
censes and TO have closed their places
more than ii week ago. They asked Nor
rs g. MOskowitz, the Assistant District
Attorney. who had the matter IN charge,
10 drop the complaints against them on
their promise 10 go out Of business They
were told to make that request to the
court.
John L. Kenny, chief examiner OF the
Commissioner OF Accounts office, is the
complainant against Ross, and Bernard
FITZPATRICK, an Inspector Of the same Of
fee. is the complainant against Spandau.
Had Mr.. MOskowitz been able 10 find bona
fide purchasers who had been sWindcd
I'm the auction sales he could have brought
the complaints against the two men
under another section OF the law which
would render them liable TO three years
imprisonment
In addition to the anidavits OF the in
vestigators from the Commissioner OF
Accounts office, Mr. Moskowitz filed with
Magistrate Freschi sworn statements
from auctioncers and "schills," or "schil-
labers," as their "cappors" are called
II IL alleged that on october Louis
Friedburg, employed as auctioncer by
Ross, sold a pair Of opera glasses for
Sg85 TO Joseph Simon, a "schill, ana
that the sale was a false one no money
being passed and the glasses being re-
turned to ROSS. Friedburg has made
affidavit that Simon was "schill' and
that Ross employed four others II was
understood, he said. that when articles
were knocked down to "schlls' no sale
"dS lDdhtt tiiih - my '''''''F w.
il was refunded. Ross, he said, was al
ways on the premises, except at luncheon
time, and Friedburg sold" TO '"schills'
when directed to do so BY Ross. Ross
would say "Schil It down" when a fake
sale was TO be brought about.
He used the Zine CODE" he said, line
two" meaning that the "schill' was 10
advance the price 81 and Zine four
meaning that the bid was to jump s.
Friedburg said that he got per cent of
the net sales as his commission and that
sales made TO "schills" were not counted.
Simon made similar affidavit, saying
that he got 81 30 a day for 'schilling.
He never made real purchase in an
auction room in his life he said. His
business was TO "boost prices when he
cot the code signal. Mrs. Elizabeth Rich
mond, OF No. Ga East 1slst street, said
that Ross paid her 81 30 a day for "schll-
ing"
The evidence against Spandau is almost
the same. IT is alleged that on October
Albert f. Mann, an auctioneer In Span
dau's employ, knocked down bracelet
for sl2 to Mrs. Ray Herman, "schill.'
There are afldavits signed by Mrs. Her
man, by Mann and by two other auction
GERS employed by Spandau.