Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1912-11-11

|. Patrons of the State Brokerage
Company testified IN court today that
they had been bled continually after
once they were in the clutches OF the
concern.
Instead of decreasing their indebt-
edness by monthly payments. they
told how the sum they owed grew
by leaps and bounds. Starting with
small loans Of less than $50. they soon
found themselves paying in hundreds
Mrs. Mary A. Chase. IS years old
of 361 johnson avenue, paid. accord
ing to her receipts. slO4 on ss5 debt
She still owes 500 and before she as
sumed the note her son had paid
about $1o0 That made an appro1i-
mate total. as shown by the papers
OF the loan company. of sso4 On $s5,
la order 10 make her monthly pay
ments Mrs. Chase serimped and saved
the pennies of her slender income
given to her by her son. 1t meant
constant deprivation, but she did it.
If she skipped one payment. the COM
pany is said to have told her her
SON would lose his job.
He is Charles A Chase. a brake-
man on the Pennsylvania railroad.
earning s21 week. Three years
ago he borrowed S35 After he had
paid about 800 he became tired Of
the endless drain. The company is
said to have threatened TO attach his
wages. This would mean dismissal.
so he stopped work of his own ar-
cord.
His aged mother. who depended
upon him for her support. pleaded
with him 10 return to work. When
he refused to have anything more
to do with the loan. she agreed to
assume his obligation if he would
go back TO work. Since then she has
paid S1O4 and she owes 800 more.
She is too feeble to appear in
court, so her story was told by her
daughter. Mrs. Gertrude Biers. OF
351 johnson avenue, who laid be-
fore Judge Hahn the receipts issued
by the State Brokerage Company.
The first of the complainants was
Clifford Foster. of 222 Sherman ave-
nue.. He. too, is employed by the
Pennsylvania railroad.
He said that he had borrowed Sls
about a year ago. For this he was to
pay IS charges, raising the total to
S24 He was to repay that amount at
the rate of IS a month.
After he had repaid sl6 he skipped
two payments. Then he made an.
other note for $36 After four more
payments he skipped again. After
that he paid s10s. He still owes s5s.
When he complained other EN-.
ployees of the railroad who had bor-
rowed money were emboldened TO
come forward at the risk Of losing
their jobs.
Fred Powell. of Broadway. Marion,
complained that he had borrowed
s65 and his sister s45. When they
had repaid a portion they asked to
have their notes combined. The loan
company. so they said, charged them
$50 for allowing them to do so, after
making the note out for $40. Since
that they claim to have paid in 500
and they still owe 800.
Thomas R. Simpson. of ss Ferry
street, South Orange. another rail-
road employee, borrowed SIS ive or
six months ago. He repaid So. so he
said; skipped, was fined 81 ana
charged IS for renewal.
Judge Hahn, after hearing the COM
plainants, communicated with the
prosecutors office. John Doe war
rants were issued for Miss Hyland.
who is the alleged manager. She told
the patrons that an O. C. Wells. of
Philadelphia, owned the company. but
the police believe he is a fictitious
parsonage. She is said to live At
1lSs Broad street
The stenographer employed at the
Office of the company viii be arrested
as a witness. 1t Is possible for the
police to raid a place OF usury as Z
"disorderIy house"